Head Coach Beth Mullins

SEASON PREVIEW

Facility Upgrades........................................ 16 2014 Roster................................................... 16 Player-by-Player Breakdown .................. 17 2014 Schedule .............................................18

STAFF

MUllinS

HEAD coAcH EiGHtH SEASon

Beth Mullins, who led Troy back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years in 2021, returns for her eighth season at the helm of the Troy Softball program. Mullins has led the Trojans to 30-plus wins in three straight seasons (minus the COVID-19 shortened 2020 year) for the first time since 2007-09.

Mullins ranks second all-time in program history with 208 wins during her tenure at Troy, and the Trojans’ NCAA bid last season was just the second in program history and first as an at-large selection.

The 2021 Trojans posted a 17-6 mark in league play and swept five conference series for the first time since 2005. Troy finished the season 36-15 overall and second in the Sun Belt Conference, which received four selections into the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Mullins led Troy to the semifinals of the Sun Belt Tournament and to three wins over Power Five opponents – Ole Miss, North Carolina, Georgia Tech – the most since 2012.

Troy finished 2021 fourth nationally with 98 doubles for the year and eighth with 1.81 doubles per game. In the circle, Troy was 30th with a staff ERA of 2.31 and 24th averaging 7.21 strikeouts per seven innings.

Individually, Mullins’ players shined as well, with Kelly Horne ranking ninth nationally with 18 doubles and Katie Webb just behind in 14th with 17 doubles. Leanna Johnson continued her dominance in the circle under Mullins’ guidance, ranking 12 in strikeouts (260), 20th in shutouts (7) and 22nd in hits allowed per seven innings (4.14).

Troy’s trip back to the NCAA Regionals for the first time in a quarter decade was almost predestined by what took place the year prior. The Trojans got off to a hot start going 17-6, highlighted by a win over No. 16 South Carolina and a No. 26 ranking in the NCAA’s first RPI release before COVID-19 shut down the season.

Mullins led the Trojans to a historic 2019 season, where Troy finished the season with a programbest 19 wins inside of league play. The Trojans earned the second seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament for the first time since 2009 after being slated to finish third for the first time since 2014. The Trojans won 14 consecutive games to set a new school record for consecutive wins.

In 2018, Mullins led Troy to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2010, and the Trojans improved their win total by 14 games, all with just three seniors on its roster in 2018. Troy knocked off a trio of ranked teams, won the season series against eventual league champion Texas State and set the school record for fewest errors and fielding percentage. Paced by Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Annie Willis, Troy turned in its lowest ERA since 2014. Troy faced five ranked opponents during the 2017 season, including No. 10 Minnesota, No. 13 LSU, No. 2 Florida State, No. 16 Louisiana and a walk-off win over No. 19 Pitt at home.

The Trojans finished the 2016 season with a 31-25 overall record and an 11-13 Sun Belt Conference record. In each of Mullins’ first two seasons, the Trojans set a new program home run record with 51 in 2015 and 62 in 2016.

In 2015, Mullins led the Trojans to a 32-23 record, including a 14-9 Sun Belt record and a fourth-place finish in the conference. She became the first coach in program history to defeat top-10 teams in back-to-back games and led the Trojans to the most wins over the previous five seasons, including victories over three top-25 opponents, earning her Sun Belt Coach of the Year.

Troy jumped three spots from seventh to fourth in the final Sun Belt standings in her first season. The Trojans’ batting average improved from .215 to .260, and they scored 70 more runs, had 70 more hits, 100 more RBIs, 38 more doubles, and launched 21 more home runs while playing just one more game than they did in 2014.

Mullins inherited a newly renovated Troy Softball Complex that underwent a $3 million renovation before the 2014 season. The field was lowered to improve sightlines and the outfield was replaced with artificial grass. The press box was also updated to include offices, a media area with press box and an expanded concessions area, as well as new official locker rooms. Also in the renovation was the construction of the Dodds Center, a state-of-the-art hitting facility. The 8,000 square-foot facility houses a player locker room, player lounge, athletic training room and hitting and pitching areas.

tHE MUllinS FilE

AGE: ...............................................................39 (Sept. 29, 1982)

HOMETOWN: .......................................................Fairhope, Ala.

HIGH SCHOOL:..................................Fairhope (Ala.) HS (‘00)

ALMA MATER:.............................................................. UAB (‘04) ..................................................................B.S. in Political Science

COaCHinG HiSTOry Troy, head coach .................................... 2015-Present

Mississippi State, assistant coach ............................ 2012-14 Western Kentucky, assistant coach................................2011 UAB, assistant coach..................................................... 2008-10 Georgia Southern, assistant coach.......................... 2006-07 UAB, volunteer assistant coach .......................................2005

playinG Career

UAB..................................................................................... 2000-04

COaCHinG aCCOmpliSHmenTS

- Led Troy to its first NCAA Regional in 25 years

- Recorded three consecutive 30-plus win seasons

- Came in at 26th on the first RPI rankings of 2020

- Finished with a program best 19 Sun Belt Conference wins in 2019

- Gained the second seed for the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Tournament

- Set the record for fewest errors and highest fielding percentage in 2018

- Broke the Troy home run record in each of her first two seasons as head coach

- Sun Belt Co-Coach of the Year in 2015

player aCCOmpliSHmenTS

- Earned All-Conference USA honors as a senior - Named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team

A native of Fairhope, Ala., Mullins worked with Mississippi State’s outfielders and served as the hitting coach. Additionally, Mullins handled the organization and execution of the MSU Softball Clinics and aided in Mississippi State’s recruiting efforts.

Mississippi State saw tremendous growth during Mullins’ three seasons as an assistant. The Bulldogs won 39 games during the 2014 season, which tied for the third most in school history. The 2013 squad set the program record with 51 home runs, besting the previous mark by four, stole 2.0 bases per game to tie the program record, and stole the second-most bases in Mississippi State history with 114. The Bulldogs ended the season with their highest slugging percentage since 2004 with a .422 mark.

In Mullins’ final season at Mississippi State, the Bulldogs defeated eight ranked teams, including five wins against teams ranked in the top five. Mississippi State became just the fourth SEC program in the past 10 years to win series against Alabama and Tennessee; the Crimson Tide were ranked second, and the Lady Vols were ranked fourth when the games were played. The 2013 Bulldogs also made school history as they took down some of the nation’s best squads and snapped a trio of Southeastern Conference losing streaks in the process. Mississippi State snapped a 27-game skid against Alabama, a 21-game streak versus LSU and a 17-game slump against Florida.

In her first season at Mississippi State, Mullins developed left fielder Jessica Cooley into one of the most feared power hitters in the conference. Cooley thrived under Mullins’ coaching as she led the Bulldogs and finished fourth in the powerful SEC with 15 home runs – the total was the third most in Mississippi State history. Additionally, Cooley earned All-America and USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week honors.

With an advanced two-strike approach and a more disciplined approach at the plate, Mullins guided hitters to a then-school record in walks and walks per game (3.54). The 2012 offense finished in the single-season top 10 in school history in runs, home runs, slugging percentage and stolen bases. Prior to her arrival in Starkville, Mullins spent one season at Western Kentucky (2011) where the Lady Toppers post the highest batting average in school history (.279). The Lady Toppers also set single-season records for triples (14), RBIs (221) and slugging percentage (.419).

Mullins moved to WKU following a three-year stint at her alma mater, UAB. In her final season with the Blazers in 2010, the squad broke 15 individual and team offensive records while making its first NCAA Tournament appearance. The group also topped Conference USA in six offensive categories. During her tenure, UAB improved in team batting average, doubles, triples, RBIs and runs scored each season.

UAB players littered the Conference USA all-conference teams as five Blazers earned all-league honors, while Martina Landrum and Alisha Smith were named Newcomer of the Year and Lauren Webster was named Freshman of the Year during her tenure.

After a two-year stop as an assistant coach at Georgia Southern, Mullins returned to her old playing field. During that stint, she helped the Eagles to a Southern Conference Tournament title and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.

In 2006, she tutored SoCon Player of the Year Shanita Black, who broke 12 school records en route to earning conference tournament Most Outstanding Player and All-Southeast Region accolades.

A starter for the Blazers from 2001-04, Mullins was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. As a sophomore in 2002, she led the team in RBIs (31) and walks (17) as the Blazers won a then-program-best 39 games. During her junior campaign in 2003, Mullins led the team in home runs (five) and walks (16).

As a senior, the right-handed hitter was named All-Conference USA after anchoring the squad in batting average (.311), hits (51), on-base percentage (.379), RBIs (27) and home runs (five). She finished her career ranked in the program’s top 10 in RBIs (fourth), home runs (fifth), total bases (fifth), hits (sixth), doubles (sixth) and walks (seventh).