Derrick Grimes Departs as Ouachita Baptist Head Coach

Ouachita Baptist head coach Derrick Grimes has resigned his position, the school announced on Thursday.

“We appreciate Derrick for his time here at Ouachita leading our softball program,” athletic director David Sharp said in a statement. “He came at a tough time in the middle of the pandemic and was hired less than a month before his first season started. Those situations presented challenges that he met face on. During his tenure, we were able to enhance the program in many ways, highlighted by our new locker room facility that was opened prior to the start of this past season. Again, I am thankful for Derrick and his time at Ouachita, and wish him nothing but the best going forward.”

Grimes spent three seasons as the head coach at Ouachita Baptist, collecting a 51-84 overall record during his tenure with a 39-60 showing against Great American Conference opponents.

The 2021 campaign was the Tigers’ best under Grimes’ tenure, as the squad posted a 20-18 overall record and an 18-15 conference showing that year. The squad closed the 2023 season with a 13-37 overall record and seven conference wins.

In a school statement, Grimes said, “I have enjoyed my time coaching the Ouachita Tigers Softball Team and believe it is in my best interest to explore other options. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to coach (the team)… I love each one of the girls that I have had the opportunity to coach and will cherish the memories and time I had with them… I also appreciate the support I received from the coaching staff throughout the entire athletic department. OBU is blessed to have such an amazing group of Godly coaches to lead.”

Prior to Ouachita Baptist, Grimes coached at various levels of softball, including high school; travel ball; junior college; and in private coaching. A member of the Arkansas Softball Hall of Fame, Grimes also spent more than three decades as a firefighter in the state.