Piedmont Men's Soccer Camps

Jimmy Stephens enters his 15th season as Head Men's Soccer Coach in the fall of 2019, guiding the program he helped begin as a member of the inaugural team in 1992. A 2011 Piedmont College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Stephens is one of the longest tenured coaches on staff posting a 118-121-13 overall record through 14 seasons. 

 

During that time, the Lions have a conference tournament championship (2006) in addition to four conference tournament finals appearances (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010), and four GSAC Players of the Year. Stephens has mentored three goals per game national statistical champions during the three-year stretch from 2006-2008.

 

Piedmont became the only Division III men’s soccer program to ever have three straight goals per game national statistical champions (Drew Griffin in 2006 & 2007, Jorge Pradilla in 2008) and one of just two programs in Division III history, along with Medaille, to have two different players lead the nation in points per game. Drew Griffin did so in 2007 while Jorge Pradilla followed up that season with his own statistical national championship in 2008.

 

Showcasing his offensive prowess, Stephens produced the Great South Athletic Conference’s top individual scorer each of his first seven seasons at the helm while his team also led the league offensively in goals and points during those seven years. 

 

Stephens’ peers recognized his accomplishments as he was twice named the GSAC Coach of the Year (2006, 2007) while also guiding the men’s team to the NSCAA Team Academic Award for carrying at least a 3.0 team grade point average in 10 of his first 13 seasons at Piedmont. 

 

As a player on the first-ever Piedmont College men’s soccer team, Stephens helped establish the storied tradition of men’s soccer at Piedmont. He served as the team captain for three years and was also recognized as the Most Versatile Player by the coaching staff for his play on the field.  In his final season suiting up for the Lions, Stephens helped lead his team as a senior captain to a 14-4-2 record and a share of the Georgia Athletic Conference championship.

 

Following his own graduation, Stephens remained at his alma mater as an assistant coach from 1995-1996 under then Head Coach Jason Smith as the teams finished as the runner-up in the Georgia Athletic Conference. Following two years at Piedmont, Stephens transitioned to a head coach leading Emmanuel College’s Men’s Soccer program for five seasons and spent three seasons as the Head Women’s Coach at Emmanuel. Stephens was tasked with beginning the women’s program in 2002 and in 2003 his men’s team received a bid to the NAIA Regional Tournament while tallying the program’s first winning record at 12-6.

 

Stephens also spent three seasons as the Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Piedmont winning 26 games during that time. The Lady Lions had 10 All-Conference selections and 16 All-Academic honorees under Stephens who also produced seven All-Freshman award winners including the conference Freshman of the Year in 2006 (Katie Porter) who led the league in scoring, one of eight such players to do that on the men’s and women’s side combined for the veteran head coach.

 

A 1995 graduate of Piedmont College, Stephens earned his undergraduate degree in history with a minor in secondary education and physical education. Stephens is a member of the Piedmont College Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 21st induction class in 2011 and is one of three men’s soccer inductees.

 

Currently residing in northeast Georgia, Stephens holds a “B” License from the United States Soccer Federation and is also an active member of the United Soccer Coaches.

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Alex Buchman
Assistant Coach

Alex Buchman enters his second season as an assistant coach with the Piedmont men's soccer program in the fall of 2019. Buchman joined the Piedmont staff after serving as an Assistant Coach/Goalkeeper Coach with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2017.

In his first season with the Lions, the team finished with an 8-6-3 mark overall and 6-3-3 in the USA South. Buchman mentored a pair of goalkeepers who split starts with Cameron Verona finishing with a .744 save percentage and Blayton Duncan posting a .723 save percentage.

Buchman helped guide the Warhawks to a 10-6-4 record in 2017. The Warhawks posted eight shutouts as the team posting a 1.14 goals against average.

Buchman's primary responsibilities were working with the team and goalkeepers in training sessions, building a continuous recruit database, and helping administrate an annual 8v8 summer league. He also helped market soccer camps and generate fundraising initiatives.

He was a goalkeeper for the UW-Whitewater men's soccer team from 2013-2015 posting a 0.94 career goals against average and named Co-Most Valuable Player in 2015. The honor came after posting a 14-4-2 record with six shutouts as the starting keeper. He shut out Rose-Hulman (Ind.) in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament as the Warkhawks reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Buchman's last two seasons with the team.

He was also a three-year member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and was involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Warhawk Leadership Academy, and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Buchman also served as an assistant girls soccer coach at his alma mater, Waterford Union High School, for three seasons (2014-16).

He also worked with the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2016 season as a Brew Crew Member running as a sausage mascot in the famous Sausage race. Other responsibilities included in his time with the Brew Crew were supervising the Kid's Zone, dancing on the dugout during the 7th inning stretch, and making appearances in the greater Milwaukee area.

Buchman is a 2015 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration (general management). He also recently graduated from UW-Whitewater with a master's degree in professional development (higher education leadership).

Buchman is originally from Waterford, Wisconsin and will assist Stephens in all facets of the Lions soccer program.