University of North Carolina Athletics
Softball
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- mjfirnba@email.unc.edu
Mary Jo Firnbach joined the UNC softball program as associate head coach in August 2014, focusing on the development of the hitters and infielders.
Throughout her time as associate head coach of the Tar Heels, Firnbach has mentored UNC’s hitters to record breaking seasons, highlighted by NFCA and ACC honors, as well as UNC’s prestigious Patterson Medal.
In her first season at Carolina, the 2015 Tar Heels ranked fourth in the nation in home runs and 10th in slugging percentage, with shortstop Kristen Brown ranking in the top 10 in the NCAA in home runs and RBIs.
Firnbach continued to mentor Brown during her senior season in 2016, helping the Tar Heel slugger to break the all-time ACC career home run record, while earning NFCA First Team All-America honors and UNC’s prestigious Patterson Medal.
In 2017, Firnbach helped the Tar Heels reach both the ACC Championship game and the Regional Finals in the same season for the first time in program history. Under her guidance, senior Kendra Lynch broke season records for RBIs and total bases en route to a Second-Team All-America selection, while Brittany Pickett was named ACC Freshman of the Year and a Top-10 Finalist for NFCA National Freshman of the Year by excelling both at the plate and in the circle.
In 2018 and 2019, Firnbach helped UNC improve its ACC record for the third and fourth consecutive years, helping the Tar Heels to a record-breaking season in 2019. Firnbach mentored senior Taylor Wike in 2018 to several career records and the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
Firnbach came to UNC after spending eight seasons as the associate head coach at Texas A&M. During her tenure in College Station, the Aggies made eight NCAA tournament appearances, including two trips to the Women’s College World Series and four NCAA Super Regional appearances. In 2008, Texas A&M advanced to the 2008 national championship game.
Prior to Texas A&M, Firnbach created the softball program at Syracuse University, where she served as head coach for the team’s first seven seasons (2000-06). In 2005, Firnbach’s crew was named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year, and she followed by leading the Orange to a 36-21 (15-7 BIG EAST) campaign in her final season at the helm in 2006.
Before she was named the head coach of the Orange in 1998, Firnbach served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Illinois State for three years. The Redbirds won the Missouri Valley Conference title in 1996 and 1997.
Firnbach entered the coaching profession immediately following graduation, serving as a volunteer assistant coach for two seasons at her alma mater, while completing her master’s degree. She served as an assistant coach at Michigan from 1993-95 where she helped lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten Conference regular season and tournament championships, the National Invitational Tournament title and to an appearance in the College World Series.
On the professional level, Firnbach played the 1991 season for the Raybestos Brakettes in Stratford, Conn. The Brakettes won the national championship and the gold medal at the Olympic Sports Festival. She also played with the Michigan Cruise in Ann Arbor, Mich., finishing fifth at the national tournament in 1994.
Firnbach graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in community health education and later returned for her masters in sports psychology. She is a member of the Southern Illinois University Athletics Hall of Fame.
While at Southern Illinois, Firnbach was named team captain in 1991, a season in which the Salukis went 42-7 and were the Gateway Conference regular season and tournament champions. She was a two-time Gateway All-Conference first-team selection and an All-Midwest second-team selection.
Last updated: Jan. 2021
