Marty Gordon
Blacksburg High School has announced the appointment of four new coaches.
Jay Mathis is the new softball coach, while David Conner will serve as the school’s new boys tennis coach. Erin Peterson takes over the girls lacrosse program, and Jonathan Hagee moves from the diamond at Eastern Montgomery to Blacksburg.
Mathis has served as Blacksburg’s junior varsity softball head coach and this past season as assistant for the varsity unit. He has also coached football and is the school’s debate team coach.
He was born and raised in Morristown, Tennessee and joined the United States Navy in 1994. He then retired from the Navy after 20 years of service in 2014 and has called Southwest Virginia home since then, living his lifelong dream, he said, of being a high school teacher and coach.
Mathis said he sees the Blacksburg appointment as an amazing opportunity.
“This year’s varsity team is loaded with talented players at every position,” he said. “Our team hopes to continue Blacksburg’s winning traditions and add our own successes to that legacy.”
“Just as important, these players are committed to excelling in both the classroom and our community by being ambassadors for the game to our younger girls in Blacksburg that are falling in love with the game of softball,” he added.
Conner started coaching tennis in Blacksburg just before graduating from Virginia Tech.
“I got involved with several junior clinics and had a handful of students that were competing in USTA tournaments across the state and region,” he said. “I’ve coached at the high school level, organized summer tennis programs for the park and recreation programs and developed junior players that have competed in national and/or transitioned into collegiate programs.”
Conner also recently retired from his teaching position at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and returned to the area to be closer to his family who still resides in Pulaski County. He played tennis in high school, junior college, and USTA leagues, along with several pro-am events.
“I’ve got some ambitious goals for the next few seasons. I’m hoping to establish a solid team culture based on the values that have contributed to my success, such as determination, commitment, and gratitude. I’m also striving to maintain and improve the team standing in the district and state rankings in our division,” Conner said.
Hagee is no stranger to the coaching realm in the New River Valley. He has been the head coach at Eastern Montgomery for the past seven years, garnering the Pioneer District Coach of the year in 2019. His 2024 team set a school record for wins with 15 and included three regional playoff appearances over the past three seasons.
He is also a past head coach for the Champion 19Ways 16U and 18U Showcase travel teams, as the head junior varsity and varsity assistant at Graham High School, assistant junior varsity coach at BHS and Pulaski County High School, and a volunteer assistant coach at Concord University.
His playing career included Pulaski County High School and played four years at Bluefield College as part of the 2009 national championship team.
“I applied because Blacksburg High School and the Blacksburg community are both very special places,” Hagee said. “During my first stint at BHS as the Head JV Coach (2014 & 2015) and as a Varsity Assistant (2016), I instantly fell in love with the school, community, and the baseball program. I have always known since that time that one day I wanted to lead the BHS Baseball program if I was blessed enough to be given the opportunity.”
According to Hagee, he wants the program to continue being known for producing quality young men who are prepared for their next step in life after they leave our program, doing things the right way, and competing for championships.
“We want to guide, develop, and equip our players so they have the opportunity to continue their baseball career at the next level. We have the talent and culture in our program to compete for and win championships for the foreseeable future; we are going to approach everything we do with a championship mindset. Even above the wins and losses I want each player who comes through our program to feel like they are a better person for having been a part of our program while building relationships and memories that will be lifelong,” he said.
Erin Peterson was also appointed girls’ lacrosse coach.