Jim Bray, entering his second season as an assistant in 2023, is in his second tour of duty at Transylvania bringing over a decade of Division III coaching experience to Shawn Hendrickson’s staff.
In his first season back at Transy in 2022, Bray helped lead the Pioneers to a 28-12 overall record with 14-2 in HCAC competition. The team received both conference and regional honors, including NFCA All-Region 1st Team selection Stella Wulker, and 3rd Team pitcher Carlee Jeter. Wulker was named the HCAC’s Player of the Year, along with Jeter as the Pitcher of the Year. Bray and his staff developed 5 total HCAC 1st Team players.
Bray returned to Transylvania from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon where he was an assistant softball coach from 2017 through 2021. During his four years at George Fox, the Bruins won two regular season Northwest Conference championships and qualified for two NCAA regional appearances. With Bray on staff, the Bruins led the country in home runs in each full season during his tenure there; George Fox also broke the all-time Division III softball record for home runs per game.
Bray is a certified NSCA - CSCS strength coach and worked with five varsity teams within the athletic department while at George Fox. Bray was also a director of game day management and a professor in the Health and Human Performance department during his time on campus in Newberg.
Prior to his time at George Fox, Bray was served at Transylvania from 2014 through 2017 as an assistant coach for the baseball and women's basketball teams for three seasons. Bray helped the baseball team make their first HCAC conference tournament appearance in eight years while aiding the Transylvania women’s basketball team in winning an HCAC regular season conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2015.
Before his first stint at Transylvania, Bray coached at his alma mater, Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Bray served as an assistant women’s basketball coach with the Pioneers, during which the team won two regular season Northwest Conference championships and made the NCAA Tournament three times. In addition to his coaching at Lewis & Clark College, Bray coached summer baseball for the Lake Oswego Junior Baseball Organization (LOJBO) for four years, making the state championships twice.
As a student-athlete, Bray was a two-year letterwinner and captain for the Lewis & Clark baseball program, tallying 40 career RBIs and hitting 10 home runs. He interned in the Pioneer athletics department as an Assistant Sports Information Director and served as the assistant to the Facilities Manager.
Prior to Lewis & Clark, Bray spent two seasons playing wood bat baseball at Clackamas Community College in Clackamas, Oregon. Bray was named Second-Team NWAACC All-South Region first baseman and was also recognized for his academic excellence, being named to the NWAAC All-Academic team while graduating with an Associate of Arts degree.
Bray graduated from Lewis & Clark with a bachelor's degree in Economics in 2010. He then went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Recreation and Sports Science with a focus in Coaching Education from Ohio University in 2017.
