Mississippi State’s Mowatt-McKinney earns national coaching honors
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State pitching coach Taryne Mowatt-McKinney has made history by winning both the 2026 Assistant Coach of the Year and Pitching Coach of the Year awards presented by D1Softball. She is the first person to earn both honors in the same year, according to the organization.
Mowatt-McKinney’s leadership helped the Bulldogs reach their first Women’s College World Series, marking her eighth trip to Oklahoma City in her playing and coaching career. Her bullpen delivered a record-breaking season, setting school records for strikeouts (523) and strikeouts looking (121). They also set conference records for batting average against (.225), total strikeouts (179), strikeouts per seven innings (7.83), and fewest hits allowed (134).
Head coach Samantha Ricketts praised Mowatt-McKinney’s impact on the team. “She had such a huge impact on our pitching staff and helping our program reach the WCWS for the first time,” she said. “Her experience in OKC, both as a player and a coach, is invaluable. She knows what it takes to compete on that stage.”
Despite a long season, the Bulldogs’ pitchers allowed just 280 hits and 160 runs, both seventh-lowest in school history. The staff also ranked second in school history for batting average against (.186), strikeouts per seven innings (8.71), shutouts (17), and strikeouts looking in SEC play (42). Three pitchers posted top-10 program records for batting average against, led by Leila Ammon (.182). Alyssa Faircloth broke school records for strikeouts (268), strikeouts looking (70), and strikeouts per seven innings (10.56).
Under Mowatt-McKinney’s guidance, the team threw six no-hitters over three seasons, just shy of the school record of eight set in 2006. She has already produced three no-hitters, making her the third-highest total for a Mississippi State pitching coach. Additionally, Goold and Faircloth earned All-American honors, and both received SEC Newcomer of the Year awards.
Pitchers coached by Mowatt-McKinney have garnered 10 national and conference weekly honors this season, more than the Bulldogs accumulated from 2016 to 2023. She has also helped develop several players into professionals, including Goold, Chaffin, and Wesley. Wesley saw career-best results last year before signing with the Texas Monarchs and playing overseas. Goold signed with the Oklahoma City Spark and made her AUSL debut this season.
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