Michele Hawkins, Assistant Coach

Michele Hawkins joined the Emory University softball program as an assistant coach in the fall of 2006.  

She brings a wealth of experience as a player and coach to the Eagles’ program.  A native of San Diego, Calif., Hawkins owns over 15 years of experience as a player, softball clinician, director, instructor and counselor throughout the United States as well as Europe and Canada.

Most recently, she had been coaching the Atlanta Vipers 18 and Under Softball Club while also working for the Gwinnett Hospital System as an Assessment Counselor. In 2003, she accompanied the United States Olympic Baseball Coaching staff as the sole representative and instructor for all aspects of the sport of softball (Solvakia).  As a member of the International Softball Federation, Hawkins served as the Puerto Rican National Softball Team’s pitching coach for the Men’s Women’s and Junior National Teams in 2000. 

Hawkins owns an impressive list of collegiate and professional playing credentials, which includes a one-year stint as a professional in Italy in 1995.  In 1996 and 1997 she played for the Illinois Twister in the ASA Women’s Major Softball and for the Chicago Stars of the Chicago Men’s Fastpitch League.  In 2000, she returned to the Twisters and captured All-America acclaim after helping that team to a third-place finish in the national tournament.  In 1998, she was an all-star pitcher for the Georgia Pride of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch League and also earned all-star recognition while playing for the Durham Dragons of the Women’s Professional Softball League. 

A standout performer at Northwestern University, she earned first-team All-Big Ten honors her junior season while registering second-team accolades as a freshman and senior.  In addition, she captured All-Mideast Region recognition on two occasions.  She closed out her career as the school leader in games pitched (163) and was second in innings pitched (897 1/3), shutouts (36) and strikeouts (640).  She earned her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern in educational and social policy with an emphasis on psychological service.

Following her playing career, she joined the Michigan State University softball staff as an assistant coach/pitching coach from 1994-1997.  While with the Spartans, she helped that team to a school-record 47 victories her final year as the team qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time.  She obtained her master’s degree from Michigan State in 1999 in community and agency counseling.

In 1997 she was named the head softball coach at the University of Chicago and held that post through the 1999 season.  While with the Maroons, she compiled a won-lost record of 62-33-3 and back-to-back school seasonal records for wins with 20 in 1998 and 24 in 1999.  Her team’s 83.3 winning percentage (24-4-2) in ’99 still ranks as the No. 1 mark in that category in school history.