Since Jim Griffiths became a head coach for AACC in 2001, he has won more than 370 games, including regular season and playoff wins. 

Griffiths coaches two Riverhawks sports teams—women’s lacrosse and soccer. As of March 15, he has a career 200-64 record as head coach for lacrosse. For soccer, Griffiths is 171-91-24 overall.

“I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve had some longtime assistant coaches, that the majority of my assistant coaches, if not all of them, have played for me previously,” Griffiths noted. “So they’re committed to make sure the program continues in a positive fashion.”

Under Griffiths, who earned Coach of the Year twice for lacrosse and once for soccer, the team won back-to-back National Junior College Athletic Association championships in 2006 and 2007. He also took the soccer squad to Nationals in 2014 and 2022.

Athletic Director Duane Herr said Griffiths, a retired teacher, is one of AACC’s greatest coaches of all time.

“He’s obviously one of the best,” Herr said. “I’d say at our level [and] all levels, he’s just a tremendous coach. So his success is warranted. I’m certainly proud of his accomplishments.”

Lacrosse defender Kaitlin Kenney, a first-year emergency services student, said Griffiths has shown “tough love for us, but he really just cares about us and he wants us all to succeed.”

Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Evans said she looks up to Griffiths, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Western Kentucky University.

“He played college football, and now he’s a coach here for two sports and he’s coached other sports,” Evans, a second-year undecided student, said.

Griffiths also coached Riverhawks women’s cross-country for 10 years. 

Reporter Micah Smith Contributed to this article.