Ohio State fires softball coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly
Ohio State athletics is in search of a new softball coach.
Ohio State softball coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly has been fired, the athletic department announced Monday, after 12 seasons with the Buckeyes. A search for the next Ohio State softball coach is underway.
“On behalf of the department, I want to thank Kelly for her leadership of the program and for the positive impact, both on and off the field, on the many student-athletes who wore the Scarlet and Gray during her tenure,” Mike Penner, Executive Associate Director of Athletics, said in a statement.
Schoenly led Ohio State to a 31-20 record in 2024 and to 12 wins in 23 Big Ten games. The Buckeyes finished sixth in the Big Ten and finished their season with a 5-1 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament.
While Schoenly led Ohio State softball to 367 wins in 12 seasons and five NCAA regional appearances, 2024 was the second straight season without an NCAA tournament appearance for the program.
Schoenly was the eighth Ohio State softball coach, and was the only one to leave her post with a winning record in Big Ten play. She replaced Linda Kalafatis, who, from 1997-2012, led Ohio State to 538 wins, six regionals and one super regional.
Schoenly is the second-winningest coach in Ohio State softball history.
Schoenly played softball at Michigan.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State fires softball coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly
