University of Memphis Athletics
Staff Directory
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Head coach Natalie Poole was named the head coach of the University of Memphis softball program in 2012. She became just the second head coach in program history.
In 2019, Poole guided three players to all-conference in senior Ashley Threatt, sophomore Baylee Smith and freshman Alyssa Dean. Threatt, a transfer from Columbia State Community College, finished her two-year career with a .302 batting average and 13 home runs for Memphis.
In addition to the success on the field, Poole’s importance on academics helped push Threatt to CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District honors as well as a program-record 14 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete selections. Threatt became the first player in program history to earn both First Team All-Conference honors as well as a First Team Academic All-District nod in the same season.
In eight years at Memphis, Poole has led 18 all-conference athletes, 67 NFCA Scholar Athletes and 92 all-academic team members.
The 2018 season proved to be a continuation of the upward climb of the past two years. Records continued to be broken, milestones continued to be set, and accolades continued to be awarded. Memphis finished the season with a 37-21 record, setting a new benchmark for wins in a season. Led by senior shortstop Kyler Trosclair Klatt, the Tigers also set records for team batting average (.308), hits (468), runs scored (288), and RBI (260).
Under Poole’s tutelage, Trosclair Klatt set plenty of her own records, including career hits (249), career stolen bases (78), and career runs scored (138). Trosclair Klatt was a two-time All-Conference performer, earning First-Team in 2017 and Second-Team in 2018.
In the circle, senior pitcher Molly Smith ended her Tiger career as the all-time leader in strikeouts. The Yamhill, Ore., native struck out 498 batters in her four years under Poole. Smith also became the winningest pitcher in Memphis history, winning 50 games in her career. For her record-breaking season, she was named Second-Team All-Conference.
Poole’s recruiting prowess was also on display in 2018, as freshmen impacted the field in a big way. Baylee Smith and Delaney Smith, who finished second and third in batting average, respectively, combined for 120 hits, 57 RBI, and 43 stolen bases, while Mariah Nichols recorded 74 strikeouts and a 2.97 ERA in 136.2 innings on the mound. Baylee Smith was named to the All-Rookie Team for her efforts.
After a record-breaking season in 2016, the 2017 Tigers continued to improve and finished with a semifinal finish in the American Athletic Conference Tournament and a 29-27 overall record. Led by Co-AAC Player of the Year, Lindsay Crowdus, Memphis posted a school-record .286 batting average and shattered the year-old stolen base record with 122 swipes. Crowdus finished her Tiger career as one of the most prolific hitters in program history under Poole’s guidance.
Crowdus ranked fifth in the NCAA with a .451 batting average as a senior and a program-record 83 hits and .485 on base percentage. She finished her career at the top of multiple lists including batting average (.359), hits (237), and triples (23).
Following right behind Crowdus was Memphis’ other First-Team All-AAC pick, Kyler Trosclair. Trosclair’s .394 batting average in 2017 was the second-highest ever behind Crowdus and she enters her senior season already the career leader in stolen bases with 65. In addition to Crowdus and Trosclair, Regan Hadley earned Second-Team All-AAC honors while Erin Parker was named to the All-Rookie Team.
Memphis finished the 2016 season with a 26-31 overall record and before the 2017 season came around, it proved to be one of the strongest offensive seasons in program history.
The 2016 season, one with a 26-31 overall record, brought one of the strongest offensive outputs in school history. The Tigers finished the year with 89 stolen bases, a .276 team batting average and 249 runs scored. That season, Hannah Harrell set the all-time stolen base record at Memphis with 27 that would later be broken by Crowdus and Trosclair.
As freshmen in 2015, Troclair and Katie Brignac picked up all-conference awards. Trosclair, who started the season in right field and played the second half at shortstop, became the program's first athlete to win a player of the year award as she was named the conference's Rookie of the Year. Brignac was named to the second team All-Conference.
In 2012, her first season at Memphis, Poole led the Tigers to a 20-37 overall record and an 8-16 Conference USA mark. During that season, she guided junior third baseman Laura Curtis to All-Conference USA Second-Team honors, while freshman pitcher Jordan Richwood was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team. In the middle of April, Poole and the Tigers won seven-consecutive games as the team put up wins against Alcorn State, UTEP and Louisiana-Monroe. The seven-straight wins was the fourth-best winning streak in school history.
In 2013, her second season at the helm, Poole and the Tigers finished 24-36 with an 8-16 mark in conference play. Memphis captured a first-place finish at the 2013 Blues City Classic in February, and two tigers earned all-conference honors.
Redshirt-senior outfielder Lelani Bernadino was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team after hitting .307 with 58 hits and 17 stolen bases in 2013. Hannah Harrell was named to the Conference USA All-Rookie Team after finishing the 2013 season with a .267 average, and a team-leading .419 average during conference play.
After earning all-conference honors in 2012, Curtis made the 2013 Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team. The senior posted a 3.61 GPA in the exercise and sport science program at Memphis.
Poole became the program's second head coach in 2012 after spending three seasons leading the helm at McNeese State. She guided the Cowgirls to three-straight 30-win seasons, including a school-record 38 wins in 2010. Poole led McNeese State to two Southland Conference (SLC) Tournament championship games, winning the tournament title in 2010 and advancing to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
Poole compiled a 100-84 overall record and went 55-35 in conference play during the three years.
Poole was named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year in her first season at McNeese State in 2009 after leading the Cowgirls to a second-place finish in the league. The team finished the year with a 31-28 record, marking the Cowgirls' first winning season in 11 years.
In her three years at McNeese State, 20 players earned All-Southland Conference honors. In 2011, outfielder Claire Terracina became the first Cowgirl since 2008 selected to the All-SLC first team. In addition, Alanna DiVittorio was named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association co-Freshman of the Year in 2011.
Poole led McNeese State to a 31-29 record in 2011 and a third-place finish at the Southland Conference Tournament. Seven players were named to both the All-SLC and All-Louisiana teams.
Prior to returning to her alma mater, Poole served as the head coach for seven seasons at Georgia Southern, where she compiled a 212-215 career record. The Eagles went 71-53 in the Southern Conference under Poole's tutelage and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2006. She was named the SoCon Coach of the Year in 2002, her first year as a head coach.
During her time at Georgia Southern, the Eagles had just one losing conference season and finished outside the top-four only once. The program set more than 15 single-season records, and four of the top six all-time home run seasons came in Poole's tenure.
She coached the 2006 and 2008 SoCon Players of the Year and three SoCon Freshmen of the Year. During her time with Georgia Southern, 17 players earned All-SoCon honors, including a school-record eight in 2008. In 2006, Poole led Georgia Southern to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the SoCon Tournament with six-straight victories. The SoCon title was just the second in school history.
The Eagles nearly repeated as SoCon champions in 2007, falling in the conference tournament championship game.
Poole began her collegiate coaching career at McNeese State. She joined the Cowgirls staff as a graduate assistant in 1998 and served as an assistant coach from 1999-2001.
As a college athlete, Poole was a standout catcher for McNeese State from 1994-97. She was a three-time All-Southland Conference pick (1995-97) and a two-time All-South Region selection (1996-97). Poole also earned All-Louisiana honors in 1996. As a freshman, she helped the Cowgirls to a Southland Conference title and the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance. Poole was named McNeese State's Most Valuable Player her senior year and concluded her playing career with a .296 batting average.
In the classroom, Poole was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District VI selection (1995-97) and was a 1997 Academic All-American. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in painting from McNeese State in 1998 and earned her master's degree in instructional technology from the school in 2000. In 2017, Poole earned her Doctorate in Education in Higher Ed Administration.
A native of Baton Rouge, La., Poole has one daughter, Isabella Grace.
