WILSON, N.C. – Barton College has announced the hiring of Melisa Shock as its new Head Softball Coach.
Shock comes to Barton after serving the past year as an Assistant Coach at Valparaiso University, an NCAA Division I school in Valparaiso, Ind., where she worked primarily with the pitchers. Under Shock, the pitching staff's earned run average decreased by nearly two runs.
Shock also served as Associate Head Coach for Frostburg State (Md.) University for two years (2019-21), where she helped guide the team to a second-place finish in the Mountain East Conference North Division and a third-place finish in the league tournament in 2021. One of the Frostburg State pitchers under Shock's tutelage earned all-league and all-region honors.
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It gives me great comfort to know that Melisa Shock will be the leader of our softball team," said Barton Director of Athletics
Todd Wilkinson. "
Coach (Melisa) Shock checked all the boxes in our search. She particularly stood out for her genuine concern for the health and well-being of the students, pitching expertise, organizational skills, and passion to be the head coach at Barton College. She is the right person at the right time to continue to lead our softball student-athletes on the upward trajectory they desire. Barton softball is in great hands and the future is bright with Coach (Melisa) Shock leading."
At Frostburg State, Shock developed the team's academic policy and the squad earned the top Grade Point Average for all of NCAA Division II and was awarded the 2021 Easton/NFCA Top Academic Award.
Shock also coached at West Virginia Tech for one season and served as a graduate assistant at Wheeling Jesuit University (2010-11).
"I would like to thank (Barton AD) Todd Wilkinson, (Barton Associate AD) Dexter Harris and (Barton Deputy AD) Britney Woodhull-Smith for the opportunity to lead the Barton College softball program," said Shock. "
Throughout my time both playing and coaching softball, I have developed my own coaching philosophy and coaching style focused on a strong team culture, work ethic, sportsmanship and respect."
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After spending time on-campus and learning about the core values that drive the (Barton) Division of Athletics, I can see our standards and vision for the softball program are aligned," added Shock. "
I am also extremely impressed by the enthusiasm and desire the Barton softball players displayed to be a powerhouse in Conference Carolinas. That's the mentality it takes to get to the top. I cannot wait to get on campus and get to work with the team. I am looking forward to seeing what we will accomplish this coming season. Go Bulldogs!"
Shock, a 2010 graduate of Wittenberg University, was a three-year pitcher for the Tigers and earned her MBA from the Keller School of Management in 2012.
