Carrollton, GA – The University of West Georgia is turning to a veteran hand to take the reins of its softball program.
Athletic director Daryl Dickey Tuesday named Mandy Harris as UWG’s new head softball coach. Harris comes to West Georgia following three seasons as head coach at Lynn (Fla.) University, a member of the always-powerful Sunshine State Conference.
“We think Coach Harris is an excellent fit for our softball program,” said Dickey. “She has head coaching experience at the Division II level, and a very strong background in recruiting in this state. We believe that she will do an outstanding job with our program.”
Though Harris has spent the past three seasons at Lynn, she brings a thorough knowledge of prep softball in Georgia to the UWG post. Before taking over the Lynn program, she served three seasons as the top assistant and recruiter at Georgia College and State. During that period, the Bobcats were twice in the NCAA Tournament, including an appearance in the 2006 Division II Women’s College World Series.
“I am really excited about this opportunity at West Georgia,” says Harris. “I’m happy to get back into Georgia and into a great conference,” she added, referring to the rugged Gulf South Conference.
The Wolves’ new head coach is confident that her previous experience in the state will be a big boost in her new job at UWG.
“I really enjoyed my time at Georgia College and I look forward to coming back to the state,” said Harris. “I have a lot of contacts in Georgia; the state has a lot of talent and we were able to tap into that when I was at Georgia College. It’s something I’m looking forward to doing at West Georgia.”
Prior to her years at Georgia College and State, Harris spent four seasons at Division II Wingate of the South Atlantic Conference. There, she served first as a graduate assistant, and then was elevated to a full time position.
As a player, Harris starred at Francis Marion (S.C.) University. She was a four-year starter at shortstop, ending her career with a .314 career batting average. She earned All-Peach Belt Conference honors as a senior in 2001, and was that season named the Patriots’ Most Valuable Player. She also won top offensive player honors in 2000, and was named the team’s top defensive player in 1999.
Harris is a 2001 graduate of Francis Marion, where she earned a B.S. degree in Psychology. She earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from Wingate in 2004. The Plano, Texas, native is also a certified personal training, gaining certification from the American College of Sports Medicine in 2008.