Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech Athletics Department, along with head softball coach Scot Thomas, announced Monday the hiring of Barb Sherwood as an assistant coach on the Hokie softball staff. She begins immediately and replaces Tiffany McVay, who resigned earlier this month.
Sherwood makes the move north, but stays in the Atlantic Coast Conference as she joins the Hokie coaching staff as the pitching coach. Sherwood spent last season in Tallahassee as the pitching and catching coach at Florida State University, but long-time head coach Dr. JoAnne Graf retired following the season and a new staff was hired.
“I am extremely excited about being at Virginia Tech and helping to continue the success of the softball program,” Sherwood said. “I’m looking forward to working with Scot and Al [Brauns], this young pitching staff and the team as a whole.”
Prior to her season at FSU, the Pensacola, Fla., native spent two seasons with the University of Wisconsin as an assistant and serving as the pitching and catching coach.
Sherwood began her coaching career at Troy University in the fall of 1998 as a student assistant coach, but quickly moved to the graduate assistant level the following year. Upon receiving her Master’s degree in education in 2000, the former four-year letterwinning catcher was named the top assistant at her alma mater.
Sherwood also served as the recruiting coordinator for the Trojans, adding top players such as Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year Jocelyn McCallum and four-year Canadian National Team catcher Tamra Howren. McCallum, who was a member of the Australian National Team, continues to hold the single-season strikeout record at Troy, while Howren led the Trojans in 11 categories, including batting average (.342), in 2004.
During the 2005 season, Sherwood’s pitchers achieved a notable 1.45 ERA with two individuals notching 20 wins. That year, both pitchers were named all-conference performers as well.
In 2006 Sherwood made the leap from Alabama to Wisconsin, to join the Badgers’ coaching staff as an assistant and the pitching and catching coach. While there, Wisconsin’s pitching staff ERA was ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten for the 2007 season.
In her lone season at Florida State, she helped senior pitcher Tiffany McDonald earn All-ACC honors as she posted 18 wins and 244 strikeouts while the catchers threw out 14 would-be base stealers.
“We are really thrilled about the addition of Barb Sherwood to our staff,” Thomas said. “She comes to us with pitching coach experience in three different leagues, including the Big 10 and ACC, which we will definitely lean on for our success. She also knows how to recruit on the United States blue chip scene, as well as internationally.”
Along with handling the pitchers, she will also work with the catchers and focus heavily on recruiting.
Sherwood earned her bachelor’s of science degree in physical education from Troy in 1999 and followed-up with a Master’s in education in 2000. Sherwood remains the winningest player in Troy softball history. The Trojans won 176 games while Sherwood was on the roster from 1995 to 1998. She was a three-time team captain and helped lead the Trojans to the 1996 Mid-Continent Conference championship and a berth in the 1996 NCAA Tournament.