Softball | 8/3/2017 11:47:00 AM

Wingate, N.C.---- Wingate University head softball coach Lani Shaffer Ries, along with Wingate Vice President and Director of Athletics Steve Poston, have announced the hiring of Morgan Melloh as the assistant softball coach. A Division I All-American in her playing days, Melloh was named the conference Pitcher of the Year in the WAC and the Big 10.

"I am beyond excited to have Morgan Melloh as my new assistant/pitching coach," Shaffer Ries says. "Her years of experience, knowledge and passion for the game will be a significant asset we need for this young pitching staff."

Melloh graduated from Indiana University in May of 2012. Since her graduation, she has played softball professionally in Japan, while also playing professionally for the Dallas Charge and the Scrapyard Dawgs.

Melloh spent time as an assistant coach at Ursuline College beginning in 2016. Her duties there included skill instruction on defense and pitching, along with scouting, academic monitoring, recruiting, budget, travel plans and was the first base coach.

Melloh began her collegiate career at Fresno State in 2008, where she went 42-9 with a 1.28 ERA, piling up 454 strikeouts in 360 1/3 innings. She was named the league's Freshman of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, earning second team All-American honors to go along with WAC All-Academic and WAC Scholar-Athlete accolades. During her freshman season, Melloh set the WAC record for appearances (59), wins (42), Strikeouts (454), ERA (1.28) and Innings pitched (360).

Melloh finished second in the nation with 450 strikeouts during her sophomore season, becoming just the fourth Division I pitcher to have back-to-back 400 strikeout seasons in first two years as a collegian. Melloh ranked fifth nationally with 17 shutouts, earning first team All-WAC and All-Region honors. She was 30-16 as a sophomore with a 1.71 ERA. She went 18-10 with a 2.95 ERA as a junior, collecting 234 strikeouts in 161 1/3 innings while notching five shutouts, earning All-WAC and All-Region honors.

Melloh transferred to Indiana for her senior season, where she was named the Big 10 Pitcher of the Year while also earning All-Region accolades. She piled up 32 wins while setting the league record with 494 strikeouts, posting a 1.64 ERA with 13 shutouts. Melloh's 1,632 career strikeouts ranks 11th all-time in NCAA history.

Melloh is from Indiana originally and graduated from Hamilton Southeastern High school in May of 2007.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,200 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 35 minors, 12 career concentrations, nine pre-professional programs, master's degrees in accounting, business, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in education, pharmacy and physical therapy.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 11 years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 96 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate is number one in this millennium with 96 Academic All-America® honorees. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 105 lifetime Academic All-America® picks. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.