The 2016-17 academic year will be Ashley Chastain's fourth as the College of Charleston assistant/pitching coach and she will work to improve the already-touted CofC pitching corps.
Through three seasons at the College of Charleston, Chastain and the Cougars have amassed a record of 99-68, with a record of 35-23 in 2016. The 2016 team proved to be one of the finest in program history, with records being set for defensive efficiency. They posted a .974 fielding percentage, and only 42 errors, both being CofC records. Under Chastain's tutelage, the CofC pitching staff posted the eighth lowest opponent batting average in CofC history (.242), and the ninth fewest runs allowed with 191. Four CofC players picked up All-CAA Second team honors under her tutelege in 2016, as well as two CAA All-Freshman team members. Two of those All-CAA honorees were pitchers Samantha Martin and Valerie Cassell.
In her first two seasons, Chastain and the Cougars win 24 games in 2015, and posted a record of 40-16 in 2014. Thanks to Chastain and the Cougar coaching staff, Cougar pitcher Hope Klicker earned All-CAA First team honors in 2014. The College's pitching staff has set number of top-10 pitching marks under Chastain, including the second and third most strikeouts per seven innings, with 5.90 in 2014, and 5.89 in 2015, and had the fourth fewest walks per seven innings (1.83) back in 2014.
Chastain served as a graduate assistant coach at South Carolina over the 2011-12 season after her three-year playing career as a Gamecock.
She also brings international experience, both as a player and an instructor. She was an international member of the Wesseling Vermin’s softball club of the German Softball Federation. She helped lead the team to numerous accolades and championships, most recently a national championship at the highest level in German softball in 2013. Chastain was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship series.
While abroad, she also served as a pitching coach for the German National Team as well as the coach of a junior team within the Wesseling Vermin’s softball club. She developed pitching workouts and designed practices in order to prepare players to compete at their highest potential for the 2013 European Championship.
“We’re so excited to have Ashley on board and our pitching staff is excited to work with her,” said head coach Linda Kalafatis. “She is young and vibrant and eager to share her knowledge and passion of the game with the program.”
Chastain has also served as an instructor for Higher Ground Softball out of her native state of Georgia since 2008, teaching physical fundamentals and mental aspects to young students of the game.
“It is an honor to be at the College of Charleston,” said Chastain. “I am grateful to be a part of this staff. They’re great to work with and have been extremely friendly and welcoming, which has made my transition very easy. I’m excited to work alongside a coach of Coach Linda’s knowledge and caliber and can’t wait to continue and improve upon the success of this program!”
Chastain received her bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in secondary education and her master’s in secondary education from South Carolina.
