Sewanee: University of the South

Sewanee Tigers Athletics
735 University Ave. Sewanee, TN 37383

Division 3 Tennessee Southeast

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Coaches

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Merritt Yackey

Merritt Yackey enters his ninth season as head coach in 2024 with the softball program.at the University of the South.

Yackey was voted SAA Coach of the Year in 2023, guiding the Tigers to a 7-11 league record and the program's first double-digit win total since 2005. The squad set single-season marks in batting average (.262), hits (253), extra-base hits (53), RBIs (111), total runs scored (127), stolen bases (65) and earned run average (4.87).

COVID-19 limited the program to a total of 26 games combined for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but the Tigers have posted 19 total wins over the last two campaigns.

Yackey spent six years as head coach at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., before his time at Sewanee, taking over the program in the summer of 2009. He earned Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year honors in 2011, with the Bobcats posting a 26-27 overall record, 10-8 in league play. The team finished second in the regular season standings and lost in the conference tournament championship game.

His teams from 2012-15 received the conference Sportsmanship Award and Yackey earned the Edgar Tufts Humanitarian Service Award for service in the community and on campus at Lees-McRae College in April 2013.

In addition, he served as the Associate Director of Athletics for the last five years, with duties including scheduling all athletic travel, personnel management, assistance with fundraising efforts and special projects within the Bobcat athletic department and its 17 intercollegiate sports.

Yackey brings almost 30 years of experience in higher education. He was Director of Development/Special Giving at Albion College from 1988-1993; Director of Development at Converse College from 1995-96; Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at Catawba College from 1997-00; Special Assistant to the President/Campaign Director at Limestone College from 2000-02; Vice President for Development at Mansfield University from 2002-04; and Vice President for Advancement at Lees-McRae College from 2004-07. Yackey also served as the head softball coach at Avery High School in Newland, N.C., in 2008-09.

Yackey earned his bachelor's in Business from Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio, in 1981 and received a master's in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan in 1993. He and his wife, Sarah, have three children – Millicient, Morgan and Brock; two son-in-laws, John and Kyle; and four grandchildren, Mitt, Aubrey, Walter and Oliver.

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Kaitlin Bradley

Kaitlin Bradley enters her second season with the softball program at the University of the South in 2024.

In her first year with the program, she was a part of the coaching staff of the year by the Southern Athletic Association (SAA), helping the Tigers record their first double-digit win total since 2005.

On the diamond, the program set new marks in batting average (.262), hits (253), extra-base hits (53), RBIs (111), total runs scored (127), stolen bases (65) and earned run average (4.87).

Bradley comes to the Domain after spending the 2022 season as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Bryan College. The Lions won the Appalachian Athletic Conference regular season championship with a 24-4 league mark. The team qualified for the NAIA National Tournament, winning a game in the first round, and finished with a 31-18 overall record.

Bradley coached four players to All-AAC honors, including Annalise Wood, the conference Player, Pitcher and Freshman of the Year.

Before joining the college ranks as a coach, she served as an assistant coach at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga from 2018-21. working four years with the girls basketball program and one season (2021) with softball. The Bruisers softball team lost in the state championship game that year.

She is a certified personal trainer, speed and agility coach and strength and conditioning coach.

A former product of Berean Christian School ISP in Knoxville, Tenn., she played intercollegiate athletics at Bryan, lettering three years in softball and two seasons in basketball.

Bradley earned her bachelor's in Exercise Health Science with a Biblical Studies minor.from Bryan in 2017.