Averett University

Averett University Athletics
420 West Main Street Danville, VA 24540

Division 3 Virginia Northeast

Private Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Carol Oberhelman

Carol Oberhelman has served as Averett University's softball head coach since May 2022.

In her first year with the Cougars in 2023, she guided a young roster through its first season as members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Averett knocked off a top-10 team in her first season when the Cougars beat then-No. 9 Randolph-Macon College. Oberhelman produced one All-ODAC performer with one ODAC Pitcher of the Week selection. Her team also succeeded off the field as three players earned Academic All-District accolades from the College Sports Communicators.

Oberhelman came to Averett after two seasons as an assistant coach at Muskingum University following a four-year playing career at the University of Lynchburg. In her two seasons coaching at Muskingum, the program went 60-26 with a 40-13 mark in the Ohio Athletic Conference standings.

Prior to beginning her coaching career at Muskingum, Oberhelman played four seasons from 2017-20 at Lynchburg in the ODAC. She appeared in 107 games and was the team’s starting left fielder for the Hornets. She was a member of Lynchburg’s 2018 and 2019 NCAA Regional teams, including the 2019 NCAA Super Regional appearance. Oberhelman also earned Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete accolades in 2019.

A native of Washington Township, New Jersey, Oberhelman earned her Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education from Lynchburg in 2020. She earned her master's in Adult Education from Muskingum in 2022.

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Anna Coleman

Anna Coleman '22 returned to the Averett University softball program as an assistant coach in July 2022 following four seasons as a player with the Cougars.

Coleman was a four-year starter at catcher, earning USA South All-Conference East Division First Team honors in 2021 and 2022. Additionally during her career, Coleman earned USA South Rookie of the Week once and helped Averett advance to the 2019 USA South Tournament championship as a freshman. Coleman finished her career with a .349 batting average after hitting a career-high .384 as a senior. She also totaled 128 hits, 27 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 65 runs batted in and 61 runs scored in 115 career games while making 113 career starts for Averett. A three-year captain, Coleman was named a co-recipient of Averett's Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 2022 and earned USA South Academic All-Conference honors.

Coleman also was a member of Averett's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Captains and Leaders meetings.

A native of Yanceyville, North Carolina, Coleman earned her bachelor's degree in biology and biomedical science from Averett in May 2022. She is pursuing her master's degree from Averett.

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Mary Beth Smith

Mary Beth Smith '16 returned to the Averett University softball program as an assistant coach and pitching coach for the Cougars.

Smith finished her career as one of the top pitchers and hitters in program history after playing her final three seasons for the Cougars from 2014-16. The two-time USA South Conference Pitcher of the Year went 53-21 in the circle with a 2.21 earned run average with 430 strikeouts in 472.2 innings pitched. She ranks first all-time in Averett's record book in career and single-season pitching wins, career and single-season strikeouts, career and single-season lowest opponent batting average, career shutouts and career and single-season strikeouts per seven innings. She also ranks second in career ERA and pitching appearances and fourth in career innings pitched.

Smith was equally as impressive at the plate. At the time of her induction she ranks second in career RBIs (124), third in career batting average (.410), fourth in home runs (18) and nine in hits (148). She also holds records for career slugging percentage (.690), single-single home runs (11), total bases in a game (11) and the USA South record for RBIs in a single game (nine).

The native of Elon, North Carolina, also finished with 41 doubles, three triples and 78 runs scored while helping the Cougars win the 2015 conference regular season title and earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Regionals. Smith was a two-time NFCA All-Region selection, two-time all-state selection and three-time all-conference performer while also being named to the 2016 USA South All-Tournament Team. She also earned academic all-conference accolades.

She was inducted into the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 8, 2022.

Smith's coaching experience includes being an assistant coach for her alma mater, Bartlett Yancey High School, in 2017 and has given private pitching lessons since 2016,

Smith graduated from Averett in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in business.