Whitney Hawkins joins East Mississippi’s softball staff as pitching coach

SCOOBA – Former All-Gulf South Conference standout Whitney Hawkins has been named assistant softball coach at East Mississippi Community College, as announced this week by EMCC head softball coach Kyndall White.

Serving as EMCC's pitching coach, Hawkins was a former dual-position player at the University of Alabama in Huntsville before spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach on Ashley Cozart's staff at the University of North Alabama.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to coach with Kyndall and become a part of the EMCC family," Hawkins said.  "I look forward to this new challenge in my coaching career and am so grateful to East Mississippi Community College for giving me this amazing opportunity."

With a three-year composite record of 130-41, the UNA Lions won the 2016 NCAA Division II national championship with a 60-7 overall record.  Hawkins helped mentor several All-Gulf South Conference and All-South Region pitchers at North Alabama, including four-time, All-GSC left-hander Hillary Carpenter, who was named the most outstanding player of the 2016 national tournament.

Hawkins began her college coaching career with a three-year stint (2012-14) as a student assistant at her alma mater after twice earning All-Gulf South Conference First Team and All-South Region honors as a player for the Chargers.  UAH was a combined 133-45 during those three seasons while she worked primarily with the team's pitching staff.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to coach with Whitney," EMCC's White said.  "I have known her for a long time and I know she will bring energy, knowledge and passion to our program because she has played and coached at a high level."   

As a player for UAH, Hawkins posted a two-year pitching record of 41-6 with a 1.28 career earned run average in addition to totaling 206 strikeouts and only 28 walks in just over 300 career innings pitched.  She also batted .323 with 11 home runs in 84 career games played.  During her junior campaign, Hawkins was 21-1 with a 1.01 ERA in the circle, while batting .333 with six homers, in helping lead the 54-6 Chargers to the 2009 NCAA Division II national championship game as an all-tournament selection after being named the South Regional's Most Outstanding Player.

Originally from Athens, Ala., Hawkins began her collegiate playing career at Wallace Community College in Dothan.  Along with putting together a two-year pitching mark of 35-11, she batted .432 with 12 career home runs during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

A three-time Class 5A all-state selection at Athens High School, Hawkins totaled 75 career wins as a pitcher and collected 29 home runs and 170 runs batted in while also seeing action at first base and third base for the Golden Eagles.

Hawkins earned her undergraduate degree in English from UAH with a minor in mathematics.