Megan Smith, head coach of the Kansas softball program for the past nine years, was named to the same position at Marshall Wednesday afternoon. Rich Wieligman will serve as the interim head coach for the Jayhawks until they find a replacement.
Smith, who has a 393-265 record in her career, led the Jayhawks to six consecutive 30-win seasons and consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, Smith directed the Jayhawks to their first 40-win season in 23 years, which included the best start (12-0) in school history.
“I am extremely honored and excited to be a part of the Marshall family,” Smith said in a Marshall team release. “There is such a strong history and tradition of success within the softball program and I am humbled to now be a part of that. I want to thank Mike Hamrick for this incredible opportunity for me and my son Cooper. I am eager to get to know the players and to get started this fall.”
Prior to her time in Lawrence, Smith was an assistant at LSU for three seasons, as she helped the Tigers win the 2007 SEC Tournament and the Stanford Regional in the NCAA Tournament en route to 55 victories. She also started the softball program at Western Carolina, guiding the team to a 41-20 record in its inaugural season. Smith also served as an assistant coach for North Carolina in 2004.
“We are very much looking forward to Megan leading our softball program,” Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick said. “She is a proven winner and has a reputation for helping mold top-quality student-athletes. Our program is eager for her arrival in Huntington.”
