— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall’s new softball coach Morgan Zerkle was introduced Friday during a news conference at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, allowing Zerkle to return home and guide a program she starred for as a player within the last decade.
“I’m living my dream,” Zerkle said.
Zerkle played at Marshall from 2014-17 and received All-American honors in her senior season. She is MU’s fifth head softball coach and takes over after serving the last four seasons as an assistant at Miami (Ohio).
“Marshall gave me the ability to take advantage of the opportunities that were in front of me,” Zerkle said. “I hope to be a servant for all who helped me along the way.
“Marshall is my home.”
A Milton native and Cabell Midland graduate, Zerkle plays professionally and has been a member of Team USA since 2017.
We are so excited to introduce Morgan Zerkle as the new Head Coach of Marshall Softball. Welcome home, Morgan! 💚🥎 pic.twitter.com/7V0ACzuHOS
— Marshall University (@marshallu) June 30, 2023
Marshall Director of Athletics Christian Spears described hiring Zerkle as a “no-brainer” and discussed the encouragement he heard from Herd fans, within Marshall’s athletic department and from other softball coaches
“She has a sincere connection to this place and its people,” Spears said. “Morgan checked every box.”
Zerkle replaces Megan Smith-Lyon, who spent five years leading the Herd softball program before recently accepting the head coaching job at her alma mater, the University of North Carolina.
Zerkle says that despite being hired during the summer, she’s still actively recruiting players for next season and is in the process of finalizing her coaching staff.
She hopes to build on the Herd’s recent successes, which included a 45-win season this spring and runner-up finish in the Sun Belt Conference.
“There is a lot for us still to achieve here at Marshall,” Zerkle said. “I want to develop our student-athletes as Marshall developed me.”