BJ McConnell – Baseball Coach

Born on July 15, 1990, in Georgetown, South Carolina, BJ McConnell has dedicated his life to the game of baseball. A standout player in high school, he was a six-year varsity athlete, earning All-Region honors as both a shortstop and pitcher, as well as All-State recognition as a shortstop. He continued his playing career at the JUCO level with the University of South Carolina Lancaster before returning home to begin his passion in coaching.

At just 20 years old, BJ began his coaching career, and over the past 15 years, he has made a significant impact in high school and travel baseball. He spent nine years as an assistant at Georgetown High School, learning under Hall of Famer Mike Johnson and future Hall of Famer Ben Waddell. He then took over as head coach at Carvers Bay High School, leading the program to a region championship and earning All-Region Coach of the Year and leading the Bears to the playoffs.

BJ also has extensive experience in summer baseball. He was the head coach of Post 114 American Legion Baseball from 2016 to 2018, making the state tournament all three years. In 2014, he led the Junior Legion team to a state championship. For the past five years, he has been part of the prestigious Diamond Devils program, working alongside Hall of Famer John Rhodes to develop young players and help them get recruited at the college level.

In November 2024, BJ was named the head coach at Lucy Beckham High School, where he quickly turned the program around. In his first season, the team improved from single-digit wins in previous years to a 20-10 record, making a run to the District Finals. Last season the Bengals finished ranked 7th in the state in 4a and 16th in all classifications in the state in 2024. Under his leadership, six players earned All-Region honors, and BJ was named Region 7-4A Coach of the Year. The program continues to grow, with 10 players committed to playing college baseball.Last season

BJ is passionate about developing young athletes both on and off the field. His goal is to build a lasting program at Lucy Beckham High School, where he hopes to spend the rest of his coaching career. He lives in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, with his wife, Madison, and their three-year-old daughter, Emma.