Southeastern Director of Athletics Keith Baxter has announced the hiring of Mackenzie Sher to lead the Savage Storm softball program.
Sher becomes the fifth coach in the storied program's history and makes the transition to Southeastern after four seasons at the helm of Union University softball in Jackson, Tenn.
"I am extremely excited to join the Savage Storm family," said Sher. "The passion for excellence is evident not only in athletics, but the University as a whole. I look forward to fueling that fire by pursuing a positive culture, a winning mindset, and memorable experiences for these young women, on and off the field. I am ready to hit the ground running and continue to create the type of history this program is accustomed to."
"Mackenzie has an infectious passion," said Baxter, "And energy for the development of her players, having high expectations for their performance on the diamond as well as the classroom. We welcome her to the Southeastern Oklahoma State University family."
In 2019, her first season at UU, she orchestrated a 12-win improvement over the previous season and led the team to its first ever regional rankings and making a return to the Gulf South Conference Tournament for the first time in four seasons. That club also set a school record for home runs in a season.
She would eventually make a pair of GSC tournament appearances and compile 70 wins despite the Covid-forced cancellation of the 2020 season. She had a trio of All-South Region selections as well as three All-GSC honorees, while adding a plethora of academic honors highlighted by an Academic All-America selection with nine earning D2ADA Academic Achievement awards and nearly 40 making their way onto the GSC Academic Honor Roll.
Prior to her time at Union, Sher was the assistant coach for another Gulf South Conference member, Mississippi College in 2017 and 2018. While there she worked primarily with the hitters, outfielders, and catchers.
In 2018, the team increased its extra base hits, batting averaging, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, while also reducing total strikeouts. Her players earned numerous weekly and postseason honors. In 2017, her first at MC, she helped the softball team to the GSC Tournament title and an appearance in the NCAA DII South Region Tournament.
Previously, Sher spent two seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Southern Mississippi. She helped lead one of the most dramatic turnarounds in USM softball history in 2016, when the team posted the first winning season for the Golden Eagles since 2004. She worked directly with the hitters and catchers, seeing increases in offensive stats, while also setting school records for fewest passed balls and fewest stolen bases against.
She graduated with a degree in psychology from Southern Mississippi in 2014, and was a four-year starter behind the plate for the Golden Eagles. She would also go on to earn a Master's of Science in Sports Management from USM in 2016.
Sher finished her playing career ranked in the top-10 in school history in home runs (4th), sacrifice flies (4th), putouts (6th), fielding percentage (6th), and total chances (9th). She was named Academic All-Conference USA twice, only the second USM softball player to earn the award more than once. She also earned the 2014 Southern Miss Outstanding Female GPA Award. Sher earned the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal and Honor Roll all four years.
In addition to her playing and coaching highlights, She was honored to be the guest speaker at the 8-Under Little League World Series Opening Ceremonies and the Louisiana High School Coaches Association in 2016. She earned the USM Staff Council Award in 2015, Spirit of Service Award in 2014, and the Conference USA Jim Castaneda Postgraduate Scholarship Award in 2014.
Sher is a native of Bellaire, Texas.
Source: https://gosoutheastern.com/news/2022/6/9/sher-tabbed-to-lead-southeastern-softball-program.aspx
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