BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-Head coach Tyra Perry and the Western Kentucky University softball program have announced that Megan Rhodes Smith will join the Lady Toppers as an assistant coach.
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Smith joins the WKU staff having previously served as an assistant/pitching coach for the Middle Tennessee State University softball team since 2010. Similar to her role at MTSU, Smith will be in charge of the pitchers and catchers while assisting with the mental training regimen of the student-athletes, travel, camps, recruiting and other game day aspects.
"Megan Smith is one of the top up-and-coming pitching coaches in the country," said Perry. "She was a great competitor in her years as a Tennessee Lady Vol, and she will bring that same winning attitude to our pitching staff. We are excited that she has chosen to join us at WKU."
Prior to her role at MTSU, Smith spent one season as an assistant at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. Working exclusively with the pitching staff in the physical and mental aspects of the game, Smith helped coach the Bucs to the school's first 30-win season. She also assisted with recruitment as well as the team's academic progress and community service opportunities.
"I'm honored to join the softball program at WKU and share in the tradition of Hilltopper Athletics," said Smith. "I'd like to thank Head Coach Tyra Perry and Athletic Director Todd Stewart for the opportunity to be a part of this program, as we strive for the Sun Belt championship and national recognition."
A four-year starter at Tennessee, Smith, then Rhodes, finished her career in Knoxville second all-time in strikeouts (726), third in victories (67) and fourth in innings pitched (570.1), winning percentage (67-22, .753), ERA (1.77), appearances (135) and starts (96). She helped lead the Lady Vols to three Women's College World Series showings, including the runner-up finish in 2007.
Off the field, Smith was a standout student at Tennessee through her academics and community service efforts. An SEC Honor Roll member for three years, she was awarded Second-Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American and First-Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV in 2008. The Lady Vol was also a finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award and the recipient of the Brad Davis SEC Community Service Postgraduate Scholarship.
Smith graduated from Tennessee in 2008 with her bachelor's degree in psychology, finishing with a 3.8 GPA. She then received her master's in sport studies with a concentration in sport psychology from Tennessee in August of 2009.
Smith attended David Lipscomb High School, pitching all four seasons for the Mustangs. A four-time Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) all-state and all-mid-state selection, she set the Tennessee state record for career strikeouts with 1,807, which was just recently broken. She holds several TSSAA state tournament records for strikeouts, including most punch outs in a single state tourney (72) and most career state tournament strikeouts.
Outside of collegiate softball, Smith played professionally in the summer and fall of 2010 with the Professional Fastpitch X-Treme Tour (PFX). She has also served as a pitching instructor and clinician in various cities around the South.
