University of North Carolina Athletics
Megan Smith Named Head Coach At WCU
July 27, 2004 | Softball
July 27, 2004
CULLOWEE, N.C. - Megan Smith, a former North Carolina softball player and assistant coach, has been named head softball coach at Western Carolina, the school announced Tuesday. She will oversee the establishment of a fastpitch program, which will start play in the 2006 season. Smith is the first softball coach at WCU since 1985, when the slowpitch program was dropped.
"I feel very honored to be the first fastpitch softball coach at WCU and am happy to be working at Western Carolina," Smith said. "I'm excited to start a great program and have the chance to win championships at Western."
Smith was an assistant coach on the UNC staff in 2004, when the Tar Heels finished 44-22 and received an NCAA Tournament bid for the third time in the last four years.
"Megan did an outstanding job here at North Carolina and we certainly hate to lose her, but she is a very strong and competitive person and will bring that to her team," UNC coach Donna J. Papa said. "She is very dynamic in her position and a hard worker both as a player and a coach."
Smith lettered for UNC from 1996-99 and served as a team captain in her senior year. She still holds the school record for RBI's in a game (seven) and in 1999 was selected as the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Player. After graduating from UNC in '99 with a double major in exercise and sport science and recreation administration, she went on to earn a master's degree in human performance and sports studies from Tennessee.
Before joining the UNC coaching staff, Smith served as an assistant coach at UNC Charlotte and as head coach at Young Harris College, where her teams set numerous school and region records.
"We're very excited to have Megan Smith join the Catamount family," Assistant Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator Debbie Hensley said. "She will bring a lot of enthusiasm and leadership to our young program. In addition, she has coached at two high level programs in our state, competed in the ACC while in college and has head coaching experience in the mountains. We are looking forward to building a championship softball program and continuing the winning Catamount tradition."
