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2026 NCAA Softball Coaching Carousel: All the Latest Hires, Firings and Openings

Nicole Reitz|
Illinois parted ways with Tyra Perry.
Illinois parted ways with Tyra Perry. | Illinois Athletics

As the softball regular season comes to a close, several head coaches have either been put on the hot seat or have called it quits after years of dedicated service. 

We’re keeping track of all hires and open positions. 

Tyra Perry, Illinois Fighting Illini: OUT 

Illinois parted ways with Tyra Perry after 11 years at the helm. She had previously signed a contract in 2023 that extended her through the 2027 season, but after going 87-125 overall and 22-66 in Big Ten play the last four years, the program needed a change. 

Perry is just the second coach in Illinois softball history, and she helped the program reach the NCAA Regionals in four of her first six seasons. 

Illinois finished the 2026 campaign with an overall record of 15-39 and a Big Ten mark of 3-20.

Megan Brown, Longwood Lancers: OUT 

Longwood Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Tim Hall announced on May 4 that Megan Brown will not return as the team’s head coach in 2027. 

She had signed a five-year contract extension in June 2024, extending her through the 2029 season.

Brown spent the last six seasons at the helm and compiled a 153-170 overall record. The Lancers were 21-32 in 2025 and finished 11-7 in the Big South Conference to earn the No.2 seed in the league tournament. The 2026 season was a different story, as the team went 7-10 in conference play. 

Lisa Costello, Towson Tigers: Retired 

After 33 seasons at Towson, Lisa Costello announced her retirement, which will be effective July 8. 

Costello finished her career with a record of 857-773-3. The final victory of the 2026 season over the College of Charleston led her to be ranked 25th on the active list of collegiate softball coaches. 

Towson won at least 20 games 26 times under Costello, with 10 30-win seasons, including a school-record 42-win campaign in 2018. She guided the Tigers to seven runner-up finishes in the Coastal Athletic Association and two more when the program was in the America East Conference. 

D'Maria Matthews, Grambling State Tigers: OUT 

D'Maria Matthews stepped into the interim head coaching position in October 2025 after Nakeya L. Hall resigned in July, but Grambling announced it wouldn’t be keeping Matthews at the helm in 2027. 

Prior to stepping into the interim position, Matthews spent three seasons at GSU as an assistant coach, where she played a key part in mentorship. 

Under her direction, the Tigers finished the 2026 season with a 14-28 overall record and a 5-18 conference record. 

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Nicole Reitz
NICOLE REITZ

Nicole Reitz graduated from Indiana University Indianapolis with a degree in sports journalism in 2022 and has been writing about softball and baseball since 2018 .Her work has been published in various publications like Softball America, the Indianapolis Star, and SoxOn35th.

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