Michelle Carlson is entering her first season as an assistant coach for the Winthrop softball team.
A native of Chesapeake, VA, Carlson joins the program after spending last season as Head Softball Coach of Indian River High School where she earned 2010 Southeastern District Coach of the Year honors. Two of her players at Indian River High School received All-District Honorable Mention accolades.
She enjoyed a successful playing career for Big South Conference member Radford after transferring to the Highlander softball program from the University of Toledo. Carlson was a two-time Big South All-Academic Team member (2006-07) and was tabbed as a 2006 NFCA Scholar-Athlete. During the 2007 campaign, she was named to the Big South All-Tournament Team.
Prior to coaching at Indian River, Carlson was an assistant at Georgia Southern University where she was responsible for the outfielders, catchers and also assisted in the day-to-day operations of the Eagle softball program.
The 2009 GSU squad finished runner-up in the Southern Conference Tournament and led the conference in batting average (.293) and slugging percentage (.435). The Eagles placed six players on the All-Conference Team and boasted both the Conference Pitcher and Freshman of the Year. The program was also ranked in the NFCA Top 25 All-Academic Team with cumulative team GPA of 3.35.
During her two-year tenure at Radford as a student assistant coach, the Highlanders set a new school record for wins in a season posting a 46-15 record in 2008, as well as setting team records in home runs (57), batting average (.307) and slugging percentage (.486). Radford also boasted seven All-Conference players that season along with the Big South Freshman of the Year. The 2008 squad also received the first national vote in school history, ranking 34th in the country at the time.
Carlson graduated from Radford in 2008 with a B.S. degree in Exercise, Sport and Health Education.
