Former Gamecock Chastain has been named the head softball coach at South Carolina

GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) – The South Carolina Board of Supervisors named former Gamecocks pitcher Ashley Chastain as its next head softball coach at Tuesday’s meeting. She will replace former head coach Beverly Smith, who was fired Friday after 14 years with the Gamecocks.

Chastain received a five-year contract worth $300,000 per year.

Chastain, a former head coach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is only the third coach in the last 38 years to lead Gamecocks softball. She started 15 games as a pitcher for the Gamecocks with a 4-5 record, and served as a relief pitcher in the next five games.

After transferring from Columbus State, Chastain played at South Carolina for three seasons and led the Gamecocks with a 3.05 ERA in 2011, which was her final year with the team. The following year she was a graduate softball assistant at South Carolina.

Chastain then spent three seasons as the pitching coach at the College of Charleston and one season as the pitching coach at Michigan State. She joined the SEC in 2018 and spent two seasons as the pitching coach at Ole Miss, where she was named the 2019 Softball America Pitching Coach of the Year. Chastain accepted her first head coaching position at UNC Charlotte in 2020 and led the 49ers for four seasons before leaving to accept the same position at South Carolina.

Charlotte Director of Athletics Mike Hill released a statement regarding the departure of Ashley Chastain.

“She has transformed Charlotte 49ers softball into a championship program competing on a national stage,” Hill’s statement read.

chain in North Carolina.

Chastain helped Charlotte to three wins over ranked opponents in the 2023 season, including No. 10 Georgia, No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 23 Arizona. All three victories were away. In her four years leading the 49ers, she posted a 115-78 overall record and a 44-26 conference record.

Former Gamecocks head softball coach, Smith finished her South Carolina career with a 461-323 overall and 102-219 SEC record. He is the second coach with the most wins in team history. Her final game as the team’s coach ended in a loss to Duke in the NCAA tournament in Durham, North Carolina.

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