Choctaw grad to coach softball at Union College

Former Choctawhatchee standout Ashton Strode has taken her college softball coaching career to the next level, taking a job to become head coach at Union College in Barbourville, Kent.

Union College Interim Director of Athletics Tim Curry announced that Strode has been tabbed to take over the Lady Bulldog softball program. Strode is the ninth coach in the history of the UC program.

"We are very excited to have Ashton join our staff at Union College," said Curry in a press release. "Although she is a young coach, her extensive background in the game has prepared her well to lead our program into the future."

Strode comes to Barbourville off a two-season stint as an assistant coach at Union University in Jackson, Tenn.

This past season, Union went 46-12 overall, and captured the 2012 TranSouth Conference Championship, the program's first since 2004. The season culminated with a birth in the 2012 NAIA National Tournament, marking the program's first trip since 2005, as they finished 16th in the country in the final NAIA Coaches Poll of the season.

Strode, originally a native of Baker, starred as a pitcher at Choctaw in the mid-2000?s, earning Daily News Player of the Year honors in 2006.

"I'm very excited to be taking the position here at Union College," said Strode. "I'm ready to get going, and start working with the student-athletes we have here. My main goal is to build off of what has been done the past few years, and try to duplicate some of the success we had at Union University right here in Barbourville."

After graduating from Choctaw, Strode played collegiately at Tennessee-Martin, where she tossed the school?s first perfect game and tied the school?s single-game strikeout record. She also earned All-America honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in 2008.

Off the field, Strode has served as a Tournament Director for the United States Fastpitch Association since 2009, planning and supervising youth tournaments throughout the Southeastern U.S. She's also served as a one-on-one pitching and batting instructor.

Strode earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education and Behavioral Sciences from UT-Martin in 2009. She is also finishing up her Master of Arts in Sports Administration from Union University, and plans to earn the degree later this year.

Source: http://www.nwfdailynews.com/sports/union-50718-coach-strode.html

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