GREENVILLE, Pa. – Director of Athletics Amy Schafer recently announced the hiring of Kelly Kirkpatrick as Thiel College's head softball coach.
 
Kirkpatrick arrives at Thiel after spending three seasons as the assistant varsity and head junior varsity coach at the University of Northwestern Ohio. In 2018, she helped the Racers win the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Tournament title and a berth in the opening round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Tournament.
 
"I want to thank Amy Schafer for the tremendous opportunity to lead the Tomcat Softball Program," said Kirkpatrick. "I am very excited to part of the Thiel Family."
 
In 2016 and 2017, Kirkpatrick served as the graduate assistant varsity softball coach and the head junior varsity coach at the University of Rio Grande. In her two seasons with the team, she helped the RedStorm compile a record of 128-19 and twice qualify for the opening round of the NAIA Tournament.
 
Kirkpatrick got her start in coaching as the student junior varsity assistant coach at the University of Northwestern Ohio in the fall of 2015.
 
An outfielder, Kirkpatrick was a two-year starter for at the University of Northwestern Ohio. She was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete in 2015 and received an NAIA Champions of Character award in 2014.
 
Kirkpatrick earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Northwestern Ohio in 2015. She went on to receive a master's in education with an emphasis in coaching and leadership from the University of Rio Grande in 2017.