Scottie Wilkes, an assistant coach with the program since 2014, was announced as the third head coach in the history of the Auburn University at Montgomery softball program Friday by Acting Director of Athletics Amber Rae Childers.
Wilkes joined the Warhawks in 2012 and served as a graduate assistant with the program during the 2013 season. She was hired as the team's assistant coach in the fall of 2013. She was tabbed as the program's Interim Head Coach earlier this month.
"Being selected as the next head coach for AUM Softball is a blessing and an honor," Wilkes said. "I would like to thank Dr. Stockton and Amber Rae Childers for entrusting me with this opportunity. This team has a lot of talent and I look forward to starting my head coaching career with this group of Warhawks."
Last season, Wilkes helped the Warhawks to a 49-13 record, including a 25-5 mark in GSC play. AUM won its second consecutive GSC Regular-Season and Tournament championship and earned the top seed in the NCAA Division II South Region for the second consecutive year.
The Warhawks rallied in both the NCAA Regional and Super-Regional to win the South Region Championship and punch a ticket to the Division II Finals in Denver. Additionally, the AUM coaching staff was selected the NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Wilkes, who served as the Warhawks' pitching coach, guided AUM pitchers to a combined 2.64 earned run average on the season, a mark which ranked second in the GSC. The staff also combined for a 1.20 WHIP, good for 36th nationally. The 12 shutouts thrown by AUM hurlers led the conference and the 280 batters struck out ranked second in the league.
During her tenure on the coaching staff at AUM, Wilkes has been a part of two NAIA National Championships, six national tournament appearances, two Gulf South Conference regular-season and tournament championships and the 2016 Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament title.
In non-COVID impacted seasons, the Warhawks have averaged better than 41 victories per year, winning 45 or more games four times, with Wilkes on the coaching staff. In 2016, she helped AUM to a program record 53 wins, 26 of which were shutout victories.
Wilkes was a part of the NFCA's NAIA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2014 and 2015. She has also been a member of the NFCA Region Coaching Staff of the Year five times and earned NFCA Assistant Coach of the Year honors following the 2016 season.
Wilkes joined the Warhawks after a two-year playing career at Faulkner University, where she played both softball and volleyball. In 2011, she was selected Faulkner's Female Scholar Athlete of the Year and earned NAIA Honorable Mention All-America honors in softball following the 2010 season.
She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Faulkner and her master's from AUM in physical education.
"I cannot think of a better person than Scottie Wilkes to lead our softball program," Childers said. "She has represented the university with class since her arrival on campus and has proven herself as a leader of our student-athletes. She puts their needs above her own and will continue to do so in her new role. I look forward to watching Scottie excel as our next softball head coach."
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