DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University Director of Athletics Meg Stevens is pleased to announce the hiring of Ashley Evans as the Cougars' new softball head coach on Thursday.
 
A native of Aliso Viejo, California, Evans comes to Averett with eight years of experience as an assistant coach at the collegiate level. Evans helped guide Concordia University Irvine, her alma mater, from 2007-15 as the Eagles compiled an impressive 371-100 overall record with three consecutive conference titles (2012-14), back-to-back regional championships in 2012 and 2013, five NAIA national tournament appearances and the 2013 NAIA national championship. For guiding the Eagles to the national title, Evans and her colleagues were named the 2013 NAIA Coaching Staff of the Year.

"Ashley brings a wealth of knowledge to Averett," Stevens said. "As a part of a very successful program as both a player and assistant coach, her experience will benefit our already strong softball program as we look to consistently compete at a national level."
 
Evans takes over an Averett program on the upswing. The Cougars have won nearly 150 games combined over the past six seasons while producing one NCAA Regional appearance, one USA South Conference championship, four National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Selections, two USA South Player of the Year recipients, back-to-back USA South Pitcher of the Year awards, one USA South Rookie of the Year, 32 all-conference selections and numerous other individual awards.
 
"I want to the thank Averett President Dr. Tiffany Franks and Meg Stevens for this amazing opportunity," Evans said. "It's an exciting time to be a part of Averett athletics. There is so much growth going on right now and I was very impressed by their vision for the future. 
 
"I'm really looking forward to meeting my team, getting to work building the program and doing everything we can to be excellent in all areas of life. I'm also looking forward to making an impact on the softball community in the region."
 
Evans began her coaching career following a four-year playing career at Concordia where she was a three-time all-conference selection. A Golden State Athletic Conference and NAIA scholar athlete, Evans graduated from Concordia in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in political science. In January 2016, she was inducted into Concordia's Athletics Alumni Hall of Fame.
 
While serving as an assistant coach at Concordia, she began operating and coaching the California Cruisers-AE 16U and 18U Gold travel softball programs and led the program to a national championship in 2014. In addition to her travel team, this past spring she was the head coach of Capistrano Valley High School's softball team.
 
Although a lifelong Californian, Evans has family ties to Danville. Her husband, Jay Pyron, is a 2002 Averett alumnus and native of the Danville area.