UAB Blazers softball
College softball team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The UAB Blazers softball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. The team is a member of the American Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. UAB's first softball team was fielded in 2000. The team plays its home games at Mary Bowers Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
| UAB Blazers | |
|---|---|
 2026 UAB Blazers softball team | |
| |
| Founded | 2000 (26 years ago) |
| University | University of Alabama at Birmingham |
| Athletic director | Mark Ingram |
| Head coach | Anna Shelnutt (acting) |
| Conference | The American |
| Location | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Home stadium | Mary Bowers Field (capacity: 1,100) |
| Nickname | Blazers |
| Colors | UAB Green and UAB Gold[1] |
| NCAA super regional appearances | |
| 2013 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 | |
History
The UAB softball program officially began competition in 2000 under the leadership of its first head coach, Marla Townsend.[2] Competing in Conference USA from its inception, the team quickly established itself as a competitive force, recording a significant milestone in 2002 by achieving 39 wins and earning Townsend the Conference USA Coach of the Year award. Early highlights for the program included a notable 2003 victory over No. 8 Oklahoma, signaling UAB's emergence as a competitive mid-major program. Throughout its first decade, the Blazers focused on building a consistent presence within the conference, amassing over 250 wins by the end of the 2009 season.[3]
The program reached its historical peak between 2010 and 2014, a period marked by five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. This era of success coincided with the opening of Mary Bowers Field in 2010, which serves as the program's dedicated home stadium. In 2011, UAB captured its first Conference USA regular-season title. The 2013 season stands as a high-water mark for the program, as the Blazers won the NCAA Louisville Regional to advance to their first-ever Super Regional, where they were eventually defeated by Florida. UAB concluded that 2013 campaign ranked No. 16 in national polls, cementing its status as a top-tier regional power.[3]
Following the long tenure of Marla Townsend, the program entered a period of transition involving several coaching changes. After seasons led by Amanda Ellis and Jimmy Kolaitis, Joe Guthrie—who originally joined the staff as an assistant—was promoted to become the fourth head coach in program history in July 2020. This leadership change occurred during the global COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the 2020 season being cut short after only 26 games. A.J. Daugherty became the programs head coach ahead of the 2023 season prior to the university's move to the American Conference.[3][4] A.J Daugherty resigned following the 2024 season, with Taylor Smartt being selected to replace him.[5]
Taylor Smartt stepped down as head coach on April 28, 2026. While not named the interim head coach Anna Shelnutt would handle head coaching duties for the rest of the season.[6]
Conference affiliation
Head coaches
Record through the 2025 season.[7]
| Coach | Years | Seasons | Overall | Pct. | Conf. | Pct. | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marla Townsend | 1999–2017 | 19 | 532–507 | .512 | 211–214 | .496 | 5 NCAA (1 Super Regional) |
| Amanda Ellis (Interim) | 2018 | 1 | 26–32–1 | .449 | 10–13–1 | .438 | — |
| Jimmy Kolaitis | 2019–2020 | 2 | 34–42 | .447 | 12–19 | .387 | — |
| Joe Guthrie | 2021–2022 | 2 | 56–43 | .566 | 28–15 | .651 | — |
| A.J. Daugherty | 2023–2024 | 2 | 52–54 | .491 | 30–21 | .588 | — |
| Taylor Smartt | 2025–Pres. | 1 | 24–31 | .436 | 10–17 | .370 | — |
| Total | 28 | 722–709–1 | .505 | 301–299–1 | .502 | 5 NCAA Berths | |
Year by year results
UAB softball history year-by-year results.[3]
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conference USA (2000–2023) | |||||
| 2000 | Marla Townsend | 23–38 | 6–12 | 5th | — |
| 2001 | Marla Townsend | 27–35 | 10–11 | 5th | — |
| 2002 | Marla Townsend | 39–22 | 14–10 | 4th | — |
| 2003 | Marla Townsend | 28–28 | 10–14 | T–6th | — |
| 2004 | Marla Townsend | 20–36 | 7–17 | 9th | — |
| 2005 | Marla Townsend | 21–37 | 6–18 | 9th | — |
| 2006 | Marla Townsend | 31–22 | 15–9 | 3rd | — |
| 2007 | Marla Townsend | 27–35 | 10–14 | 6th | — |
| 2008 | Marla Townsend | 26–31 | 9–15 | 7th | — |
| 2009 | Marla Townsend | 21–34 | 8–16 | 8th | — |
| 2010 | Marla Townsend | 37–22 | 15–9 | 3rd | NCAA Regional |
| 2011 | Marla Townsend | 39–19 | 17–6 | 2nd | NCAA Regional |
| 2012 | Marla Townsend | 37–22 | 17–7 | 2nd | NCAA Regional |
| 2013 | Marla Townsend | 40–19 | 19–4 | 1st | NCAA Super Regional |
| 2014 | Marla Townsend | 32–27 | 15–8 | 2nd | NCAA Regional |
| 2015 | Marla Townsend | 32–19 | 15–7 | 2nd | — |
| 2016 | Marla Townsend | 26–33 | 12–12 | 3rd (West) | — |
| 2017 | Marla Townsend | 21–32 | 12–12 | 5th (West) | — |
| 2018 | Amanda Ellis | 26–32–1 | 10–13–1 | 4th (West) | — |
| 2019 | Jimmy Kolaitis | 19–31 | 8–15 | 5th (West) | — |
| 2020 | Jimmy Kolaitis | 15–11 | 4–4 | N/A | Season cancelled (COVID-19) |
| 2021 | Joe Guthrie | 31–19 | 15–5 | 2nd (West) | — |
| 2022 | Joe Guthrie | 25–24 | 13–10 | 4th (West) | — |
| 2023 | A.J. Daugherty | 25–25 | 16–8 | 2nd | — |
| American Conference (2024–Present) | |||||
| 2024 | A.J. Daugherty | 27–29 | 14–13 | 6th | — |
| 2025 | Taylor Smartt | 24–31 | 10–17 | 8th | — |
| 2026 | Taylor Smartt | 22–27 | 7–14 | TBD | — |
| Total | 28 Seasons | 744–715–1 | 308–334–1 | — | 5 NCAA Berths |
| Conference regular season champion | NCAA Tournament appearance |