Brooke McCartney has been introduced as the new head softball coach at Urbana University.
McCartney is a first-time head coach but brings plenty of experience after stints as an assistant at Ohio Dominican (NCAA II) and Defiance (NCAA III).
“I’m pleased and excited to announce that Brooke McCartney will be our next softball coach,” said UU executive director of athletics Larry Cox. “She has coached and competed at an institution very similar to Urbana. I fully expect that with the positive momentum building at UU, Brooke will be able to build upon our current success and bring even greater prominence to the Blue Knight softball program.”
A native of Salem, Ohio, McCartney returned to Ohio Dominican as an assistant softball coach in 2016 after playing four years at ODU (2010-2013). Prior to returning to her alma mater, McCartney spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Defiance College.
“I would like to thank Dr. Washington, Larry Cox and Nikki Pluger for the opportunity to represent Urbana University and the Blue Knight athletics department,” said McCartney. “I am excited and eager to help the Urbana softball program reach new heights on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”
McCartney helped ODU improve its record in each of the previous two seasons. In 2018, the Panthers finished 35-21, their highest win total in 12 years, and came up just one postseason win shy of reaching the GMAC title game. ODU also rattled off an NCAA Division II-long 19-game win streak.
At both of her coaching stops, McCartney assisted in the planning and administering of all aspects of the softball program including guidance for student-athletes concerning their academics and athletic success.
While playing for the Panthers, McCartney appeared in over 200 games with 199 career starts. McCartney was a team captain in the 2012-13 season and hit .261 for her career in over 600 at-bats. She received ODU’s first GLIAC Softball Player of the Week honors in school history during her sophomore season.
During her time as a student-athlete at ODU, McCartney was a 2011 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, a GLIAC All-Academic Team selection, and a member of the 2013 GLIAC Academic All-Excellence Team. McCartney also served on the ODU Sport Management Society as the group’s vice president and was a key member in the selection process for scholarships awarded to high school students.
McCartney received her Bachelor of Science in Sport Management with a minor in Business Administration from ODU in 2013. She then received her Masters of Arts in Education with a Sport Coaching Concentration from Defiance in the spring of 2015.
