Recognized as one of the most successful college coaches in the state of Tennessee, the Gulf South Conference (GSC), and NCAA Division II nationally, Coach Mark Brew begins his 21st season as head coach of the Flames. He directed his first seven Lee teams to the NAIA College World Series before leading the transition to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference in 2014. His overall head coaching record, all at Lee, stands at 772-355-2.
In addition to his role as skipper of the baseball team, Brew was named Director of Facilities and Game Operations for the Athletic Department in July 2023. In this role, he oversees the setup, management, and logistics of all Lee home athletic events.
Prior to taking over the Flames' program, Brew served as Lee's chief assistant under former head coach David Altopp for 10 years. During his playing days, Brew enjoyed a successful four-year career at Trevecca Nazarene University under Coach Altopp. In 1990, Brew was the top hitter for the Trevecca baseball team and served as the Trojans' closer for four years. In 1993, he posted a 4-0 record with four saves and a 1.80 ERA. He was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and was named the University's Outstanding Christian Athlete during his senior year.
A 1994 graduate of Trevecca, Brew earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and worked in the Nashville City School System before joining the Lee staff. In 2006, he added to his educational portfolio by earning a Master of Sports Science degree in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama.
A native of Smyrna, Tennessee, Brew and his wife, Rachel, have been married for 32 years. They have two children, Elise and Alex, who joined the Lee baseball team in 2025.
Brew has been named Conference Coach of the Year three times (2008, 2010, 2021) and Region Coach of the Year six times (2008-2013). In 2008, he was named NAIA National Coach of the Year. He was also named SSAC Men's Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2011.
During the 2024 annual ABCA Convention (American Baseball Coaches Association) at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, Coach Brew was presented with the Dave Keilitz Ethics in Coaching Award, which is given to an individual who exemplifies the ABCA Code of Ethics.
It was comeback time for the Flames during the second half of the 2026 season as they swept West Florida and Valdosta State in back-to-back series and posted 11 wins in 12 games during one stretch. Lee finished 2-2 in the GSC Tournament, earning a berth in the NCAA Division II South Regional. The Flames advanced with wins over Delta State and West Florida before the season ended with a pair of heartbreaking losses to host West Florida in the regional finals. Lee finished the season with a 38-19 overall record and a 22-11 mark in GSC play.
Only two members of the 2026 team were seniors. Luke Collier enjoyed a banner year, leading the Flames with a .404 batting average. He scored 73 runs, collected 93 hits, recorded seven triples, and drove in 70 runs. JJ Williams batted .293 and led the team with 18 doubles. Collier, who maintained a 3.9 GPA in Engineering Science, earned All-GSC honors at shortstop, was selected to three All-Region teams, and was later named a Second Team ABCA All-American.
Three other Flames earned recognition for their accomplishments both on and off the field. Sophomore pitcher Evan Bloomer posted a 3.97 GPA in Biological Science and was named a Second Team All-Region starting pitcher after compiling a 9-0 record and a 3.61 ERA. Isaiah French earned First Team All-GSC honors and was also a CSC Academic All-District selection. Cody Turner, who carried a 3.79 GPA in Criminal Justice, was named a D2CCA Second Team All-American. He earned recognition on three All-Region teams and was selected as a First Team utility player. Turner joined his three teammates as a CSC Academic All-District honoree. As a utility player, he contributed at first base, in the outfield, as a designated hitter (.354 average, 12 home runs), and on the mound (3.82 ERA).
The 2024-25 team was only the second club in Brew's 20-year head coaching career at Lee to post a losing record. The Flames finished 24-26 overall and 16-17 in GSC play. In GSC Tournament action, Lee suffered a pair of close defeats to Valdosta State and Trevecca Nazarene.
JJ Williams was honored as a member of the Spring GSC All-Academic Team after posting a 3.88 GPA in Psychology. On the field, Williams earned Second Team All-GSC honors while ranking among the conference leaders in several offensive categories. He finished tenth in the GSC in hits, eleventh in runs scored, seventh in doubles, and third in triples. As Lee's leadoff hitter, he recorded the most at-bats in conference play. Defensively, Williams registered 106 putouts in the outfield with just one error.
The honors continued for Williams, who was joined by four teammates on the 2025 Academic All-District® Baseball Team, selected by College Sports Communicators to recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined accomplishments in the classroom and on the field. Luke Collier, Ashton Simmons, Malachi Cloud, and Isaiah French joined Williams on the team. Collier carried a 3.89 GPA in Engineering Science, Simmons graduated with a 3.83 GPA in Business Management, Cloud posted a 3.87 GPA in Accounting, and French maintained a 3.65 GPA in Business Administration. Cooper Castell joined French and Williams on the All-GSC Second Team.
Brew celebrated his 700th coaching victory, all at Lee, on April 10, 2024, with a 10-5 win over Tusculum. The Flames finished the season with a 39-18 record, and Brew's overall coaching mark improved to 710-307-2. Lee captured the GSC regular-season championship with a 23-7 conference record and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament in Tampa, Florida. The Flames finished second in the regional, falling to the University of Tampa, which went on to win the Division II National Championship.
Jack Nedrow capped a remarkable junior season by being named a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) First Team All-American, becoming Lee's first Division II First Team All-American. He posted an 11-1 record with a 3.22 ERA. Later, Cam Suto and Brandon Daniels were named Third Team All-Americans by the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II All-America Committee. Nedrow was also named Gulf South Conference Pitcher of the Year and was joined on the All-GSC First Team by Keegan Gagliardo, Tim Gooden, and Daniels. Dylan Standifer joined Nedrow, Suto, and Daniels on the All-South Region Team and was selected as the prestigious Dr. Paul Conn Athlete of the Year. Standifer (4.0 GPA), Tim Gooden (3.93 GPA), and Nedrow (3.47 GPA) also earned academic recognition.
Lee finished the 2023 season with a 28-25 overall record and secured one of the eight spots in the Gulf South Conference Tournament with a 15-15 conference mark. The Flames opened tournament play with upset victories over No. 2 Montevallo and No. 6 Shorter before falling to No. 4 Valdosta State and No. 1 West Florida. Freshman Malachi Cloud was rewarded for his outstanding season by earning All-South Region and All-GSC honors, while Riley Black was named to both the GSC and South Region Second Teams.
The 2022 season saw the Flames finish 33-24 overall and 17-12 in GSC play. After a slow start that saw the team sitting at 12-17, the Brew Crew rallied to win the GSC Tournament Championship before falling to Rollins College in the South Regional. Rollins later defeated the top-ranked University of Tampa and advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series.
Regular season honors were awarded to pitcher Jack Nedrow, who was named GSC Freshman of the Year. Pitcher Miguel Alba joined Nedrow on the All-GSC First Team, while Sam Fulton earned Second Team honors as a relief pitcher and Dylan Standifer was named to the All-GSC Second Team. In tournament play, Thomas Zazzaro was named Most Valuable Player of the GSC Tournament. Justin Freeman, Joshua Perez, and Fulton were also selected to the All-Tournament Team.
The 2021 season saw the Flames finish 36-11 overall and 26-6 in GSC play. Lee concluded the year ranked No. 12 nationally after climbing as high as No. 2 during the season. The Flames captured the GSC regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament, where they were eliminated by the University of Tampa, the eventual South Regional champion. Logan Workman enjoyed a standout season and was selected in the seventh round of the MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Workman and Ryan Beamish earned ABCA All-America honors, while Workman was also named an NCBWA All-American. The Flames rewarded Brew with his 600th career victory on April 17, 2021, with a win over West Alabama. His overall coaching record improved to 610-231-2. Brew was named both Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year and South Region Coach of the Year.
The 2020 season was shortened to only 23 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Flames finished 14-9 overall and 6-3 in GSC play when the season came to an abrupt end. In 2019, Brew experienced the only losing season of his head coaching career, finishing 23-26.
The 2018 season saw the Flames finish seventh in the regular-season standings to earn the program's second berth in the GSC Tournament. The team went 2-1 in pool play and advanced to the championship game before falling 7-6 to fourth-seeded Mississippi College.
Brew earned his 500th career coaching victory on March 18, 2017. All 500 wins came at Lee. His squad finished with a 30-18 record in 2016 and advanced to its first GSC Tournament with an 18-11 conference record, good for sixth place.
The 2015 team posted a 39-19-1 overall record and a 17-13-1 mark in conference play. Following a successful regular season, the Flames hosted and won the NCCAA Mid-East Region Tournament for the second consecutive year before advancing to the NCCAA World Series in Mason, Ohio. Lee finished as national runner-up for the second straight season after falling to Fresno Pacific in the championship game.
On April 4, 2014, Lee defeated 12th-ranked Delta State, 5-3, to secure Brew's 400th career victory as head coach, all of which came at Lee.
Prior to joining the NCAA Division II ranks, Lee dominated the NAIA landscape, finishing second in the World Series in 2008 and 2010, third in 2009, 2012, and 2013, and fourth in 2011. In 2013, the Flames posted a 51-12 record while having a program-record five players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft and two others sign free-agent contracts.
Over Brew's tenure as both head coach and assistant coach, the Flames have had 35 players drafted or signed MLB contracts, including two who reached the Major Leagues: Lance Zawadzki and Brandon Cunniff. Additionally, over 40 players have signed contracts with independent professional baseball teams during Brew's tenure.
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