Tennessee Wesleyan University Athletics announces the restructuring of the athletic department responsibilities that will result in Coaches Jeff Rice and Ray Stone transitioning to new roles to better support and build upon the winning tradition of Bulldog Athletics.

Jeff Rice, a 1994 graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan, will become Director of Golf and remain the head men’s golf coach, a sport he has coached for many years in addition to other duties. Rice has been on the athletics staff since his graduation including stints with baseball, softball, women’s golf, and women’s basketball. In his 18 seasons as the head coach of the women’s basketball team, he tallied a 345-190 record that included trips to the NAIA national tournament and conference championships.

Ray Stone, a 2000 graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan, will shift to Assistant Athletic Director for Internal Operations. Stone just completed his sixth season as head coach of the men’s basketball program. He, too, has been very involved with Tennessee Wesleyan, first as an admissions counselor immediately following graduation to working as an assistant on the men’s basketball program, head coach of the cross-country program, and coordinator of athletic event management before assuming the head men’s coach position in 2018. Stone’s record as head coach is 84-80 with one national tournament appearance.

“I want to personally thank these fine men on the work they have done for a combined 55 years to promote Tennessee Wesleyan and advance Bulldog Athletics,” said Dr. Tyler Forrest, Tennessee Wesleyan President. “Their institutional knowledge, connectedness to our alumni and donor base, and overall Bulldog spirit will allow both to focus their respective efforts to further Bulldog Athletics to compete on a national level.”

Tennessee Wesleyan is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and fields 19 teams that compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.

Donny Mayfield, TWU’s Vice President and Director of Athletics stated, “the athletics programs at Tennessee Wesleyan continue to compete at a very high level. To maintain a competitive advantage, we must invest in our programs. Currently we have almost 400 student athletes competing around the nation. I am appreciative of the resources to build on the successes of Jeff and Ray, and the many coaches that came before them, and continue to work with them in their new roles.”

A national search will begin immediately to fill both vacancies. For additional information about Tennessee Wesleyan University Athletics, visit www.twbulldogs.com.