Ashley Pyron was named the Averett University softball head coach in July 2016.
In her first season, Pyron found immediate success. In 2017, she guided the Cougars to the program's second USA South Conference Tournament championship and third NCAA Regional appearance. In the process, one player earned both National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America First Team and College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America First Team honors — the first time any Cougar in any program has earned First Team in both prestigious honors during the same season. She also helped produce the USA South Player of the Year, USA South Rookie of the Year, four all-conference selections and three all-region picks. In the classroom, her team finished with a grade point average above 3.0 during the spring semester.
A native of Aliso Viejo, California, Pyron came to Averett with eight years of experience as an assistant coach at the collegiate level. Pyron helped guide Concordia University Irvine, her alma mater, from 2007-15 as the Eagles compiled an impressive 371-100 overall record with three consecutive conference titles (2012-14), back-to-back regional championships in 2012 and 2013, five NAIA national tournament appearances and the 2013 NAIA national championship. For guiding the Eagles to the national title, Pyron and her colleagues were named the 2013 NAIA Coaching Staff of the Year.
The former Ashley Evans began her coaching career following a four-year playing career at Concordia where she was a three-time all-conference selection. A Golden State Athletic Conference and NAIA scholar athlete, Pyron graduated from Concordia in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in political science. In January 2016, she was inducted into Concordia's Athletics Alumni Hall of Fame.
While serving as an assistant coach at Concordia, she began operating and coaching the California Cruisers-AE 16U and 18U Gold travel softball programs and led the program to a national championship in 2014. In addition to her travel team, this past spring she was the head coach of Capistrano Valley High School's softball team.
Although a lifelong Californian, Pyron has family ties to Danville. Her husband, Jay, is a 2002 Averett alumnus, a native of the Danville area and also serves as an assistant coach for the Cougars' softball program. Pyron and Jay reside in the Danville area with their son, Luke.
| ASHLEY PYRON'S YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING RESULTS |
| Season |
Overall |
USA South |
Finish |
Postseason |
| 2017 |
29-20 |
14-8 |
T-2nd
(East) |
USA South Conference Tournament champions;
NCAA Regional |
| Totals |
29-20
(.592) |
14-8
(.636) |
|
|
| COACHING HIGHLIGHTS |
• 2017 USA South Conference Tournament Championship
• 2017 NCAA Regional Appearance
• 1 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America First Team
• 1 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America First Team
• 3 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Selections
• 1 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Selections
• 1 USA South Conference Player of the Year
• 1 USA South Conference Rookie of the Year
• 4 USA South All-Conference Selections
• 1 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Player of the Week Selections
• 1 USA South Conference Tournament MVP
• 6 USA South Conference All-Tournament Selections |
*Last updated on 5/29/2017
