Corey Lyon was hired as head coach of the ULM softball team in the summer of 2014, compiling a record of 111-115 through four seasons in Monroe.
Lyon most recently finished his fourth season with the program in 2018, taking the team to a 24-29 finish and a trip to the Sun Belt Conference tournament for the fourth straight season. The Warhawks closed out the year as one of the best offensive teams in the nation, ranking in the top 30 for stolen bases, scoring, and batting average.
2018 senior, Rochelle Roberts, closed out her career as one of the most prolific players to pass through ULM, as a four-year All-Sun Belt selection, breaking ULM's career hit record (246).
With Lyon's guidance- Roberts became the first ever Warhawk named to the NFCA Top 25 Watch List (2016). Roberts was also the first to be selected to the NFCA All-Region team since 2011.Â
Since joining the program in 2014, Lyon has seen ten athletes named to the All-Sun Belt Conference teams, two selected to the NFCA's South All-Region teams, and six chosen by the LSWA for All-Louisiana recognition.
During his first two years as head coach, Lyon saw the team to its first winning season and first 30-win season since 2001. In that two-year time span the team gathered the most wins in two season since 1999-2000 as well as becoming the first to grab 10 wins in Sun Belt Conference play in school history.
The team qualified for the Sun Belt tournament the last two years finishing in the semifinals in 2015 and the quarterfinals in 2016. Both of those years, the teams were awarded the Sun Belt Conference Team GPA Award.
Those two years also produced 17 wins over teams with an RPI in the top 100 as well as one win versus a team with an RPI in the top 25. Also added to the mix, is two wins against Power Five Conference Schools (Wisconsin and Ole Miss).
In 2015, ULM grabbed the No. 2 slot in NCAA DI stolen bases with 143 and remained in the top 15 in 2016 with 122.Â
Lyon pushed the Warhawks to their highest RPI in school history at 74. With that the team also set new records in: team batting average (.296), RBI's in a season (246), runs in a season (284), hit by pitch in a season (73), team slugging percentage (.425), on base percentage (.382) and most runs in a game (24).Â
The 2015 team became the first softball team to win the Warhawk Cup (Athletics, Academics and Community Service).Â
Lyon made the transition to ULM from Southern Arkansas where he was the head coach for three seasons. In the season prior to his arrival (2011), the Lady Muleriders posted a record of 14-39. During the 2012 season, his first at Southern Arkansas, the team improved their win total by 12 games as it finished with 26 wins.
Year two (2013) saw another 20-plus win campaign as the Lady Muleriders won 27 games to mark the first time since 2006 (26 wins) and 2007 (27 wins) that the program had back-to-back 20-plus win seasons. During his first two seasons at the helm of the program, Lyon guided the program to 53 wins – a mark of 10 more wins than the four seasons prior to his arrival (43 wins from 2008 to 2011).
In his third season, Lyon’s club won 37 games en route to the Great American Conference tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Muleriders came out of the loser’s bracket to win three straight games and claim the GAC title including a pair of shutout wins over top-seeded Southeastern Oklahoma State. Following the GAC championship, Southern Arkansas competed in the NCAA Central Regional in Winona, Minn.
The 2014 club set a total of 31 school records and its NCAA tournament berth was the first in program history. The squad’s winning record (37-26) was the first winning season for the Lady Muleriders since the 2005 season. A total of 11 players were named All-GAC and three earned NCAA Division II All-Central Region honors.
In his three seasons in Magnolia, Ark., Lyon’s teams reached the conference tournament each season and a total of 25 players were named GAC All-Academic. He also had the first ever All-American in program history and had another player earn Academic All-American honors. His 90 total wins from 2012-2014 are the most in any three-year stretch in program history.
Before taking over at Southern Arkansas, Lyon was the head coach at Paris (Texas) Junior College where he compiled a record of 125-52 from 2009-2011. His teams reached the region tournaments all three seasons and his teams led Region XIV in homers each season.
His win percentage of .706 is the best in program history. The mark of .706 from 2009-2011 was the third best among the 30 junior colleges in Texas. He also had 23 players either named All-Conference or All-Region.
In his first season, the squad claimed their first ever conference title as they claimed the 2009 Region XIV Eastern Division Conference Championship. The club went on to finish as the runner-up at the regional tournament.
Prior to being at Paris JC, Lyon was head softball coach at Independent High School in Wichita, Kan., from 2005-2008. He led his teams to a 65-19 mark over the four years. In the program’s two-year existence before his arrival, the school had never won a game. Lyon’s final two teams in 2007 and 2008 claimed league and regional championships, and his 2008 squad was the Kansas 3A state runner-up after finishing fourth in 2007.
While at Independent, Lyon also served as dean of students and was the head football coach from 2005-2007, guiding the 2007 team to the best record in school history.
Lyon received his B.S.E. in elementary education from Newman (Kan.) University in 1995 and his M.A. in school leadership from Baker (Kan.) University in 2005. He has three daughters, Cheyanne, Carson and Ciarra.
