UNC softball announced the hiring of Megan Smith Lyon as the team's new head coach on Thursday morning. Smith Lyon is a UNC alumna and played softball for North Carolina from 1996-99.
For the past five seasons, Smith Lyon has served as the head coach at Marshall. This past season, she led Marshal to a program-record 45 wins, which included a 23-game winning streak. Marshall also ranked first in the Sun Belt Conference in batting average, on base percentage, scoring, slugging and ERA during the 2022-23 season.
Prior to coaching at Marshall, Smith Lyon was the head coach at Kansas for nine years, where led the Jayhawks to 30-win seasons for six consecutive years. She also made two NCAA Tournament appearances with Kansas.
“I’m a Tar Heel born and bred," Smith Lyon said in a press release. "It was always my dream to play at North Carolina, and now to be head coach feels like I’m coming home."
Smith Lyon takes the helm following Donna Papa’s retirement last month.
