Morehead State University

Morehead State University Athletics
195 Academic-Athletic Center Morehead, KY 40351

Division 1 Kentucky Midwest

Public Large National competitor

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Coaches

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Samantha Jones

Samantha Jones, who played in an NCAA Super Regional as a student-athlete and who has extensive coaching experience, is in her second season as head softball coach.

Jones took over the Eagle program following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Miami University. Prior to her time with the RedHawks, Jones was the head coach at Asbury (Ky.).

At Miami, Jones helped produce a high-powered offense which ranked among the best in program history. The 2017 team scored 265 runs (second in Miami history) while ranking on the team's top-10 list in home runs (47), doubles (74), runs per game (5.0), RBI (222) and walks drawn (161). In addition, the team's .967 fielding percentage was among the best five in school history.

As academic advisor, Jones' teams set program records for semester team grade-point average (3.62) and overall school-year GPA (3.45).

On the field, Jones appeared in 207 career games at Kentucky, helping her senior-year squad (2011) advance to an NCAA Super Regional and win 40 games. She belted 10 home runs and drove in 34 runs as a senior in being named team Offensive Player of the Year. Jones connected on 20 home runs in her four-year career.

She was selected to the 2009 SEC Community Service Team and the 2010 All-SEC Academic Team. Jones was a member of the school's Dean's List and the SEC Honor Roll every season. She was also awarded the Brad Davis SEC Community Service post-graduate award, the Darrel Van Meter Community Award and the Frank G. Ham Character of Society Award.

Jones immediately jumped into the coaching realm following her collegiate career, leading the Asbury Eagles from 2013-16.

In 2016, six athletes, including all five of Asbury's seniors, earned spots on the All-Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference teams. Jones was also named the KIAC Coach of Character winner at the end of the 2016 season. The honor is given each year to only one coach in the conference who best exemplifies the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character Initiative.

Jones was standout student and athlete at Marlboro High School in New York. She was the team's starting shortstop for six seasons and had a career batting average of .522, including a .636 mark her senior year. Jones has been inducted into the New York State High School Softball Hall of Fame.

She is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and has led camps and clinics at her alma mater, Miami and Ohio State.

Jones, the eighth head coach in Morehead State program history, earned her bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, exercise and science from Kentucky in 2012 and is on track to earn her master's degree in sport leadership and management from Miami this year.

Jones and her husband, Meau, have one son, Parker Reed.

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Rachel O'Malley

Rachel O'Malley is in her first year as a graduate assistant with the Morehead State softball program.

O’Malley was a standout player for the Indiana softball program where she appeared in 215 games over her four-year playing career for the Hoosiers and was primarily the team’s starting shortstop or third baseman during that span. The former Hoosier picked up several honors during her playing days as well being named Academic All-Big Ten and to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team following her junior season and was tabbed as a Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree for her senior campaign.

O’Malley is from Elk Grove Village, Illinois.