KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Head softball coach Karen Weekly announced Wednesday the addition of Aubrey Leach to the softball staff as Tennessee’s director of player development.
“Aubrey is one of the most driven individuals I have ever been around,” Weekly said. “She is exceptional with goal setting and creating action plans to maximize individual performance. She also has an incredibly high softball IQ and was the classic ‘coach on the field’ as a player. Our student-athletes are very fortunate to have Aubrey as a mentor and role model. I know she will add tremendous value to our program and I am excited to have her join our staff.”
Leach spent the past three seasons with the program as a graduate assistant while pursuing a juris doctor. During her time as a GA, the Lady Vols won three SEC titles – two regular season and one tournament crown – with 136 wins. The program also made two trips to Super Regionals and reached the semifinals at the 2023 Women’s College World Series.
A standout on the diamond for UT from 2016-19, Leach finished her college career as the program’s all-time leader in runs (253) and walks (162) while ranking second in program history in career on-base percentage (.503). She was a two-time NFCA All-America selection, earning first-team honors as a junior in 2018 and third-team accolades as a senior in 2019.
At the conclusion of her senior season, Leach signed a professional contract with Scrap Yard Fast Pitch in 2019 before spending the past five seasons with Athletes Unlimited.
“I am grateful for this new opportunity to stay on with the Lady Vols softball program,” Leach said. “The last few years have been so special and rewarding. This new era of Tennessee Athletics continues to raise the bar and I am excited to see where the softball program goes next.”
A two-time graduate from Tennessee, Leach has played significantly with Team USA – winning two gold medals in the Pan American Games (2022, 2023). In the 2022 edition, she earned tournament MVP – hitting .679 (19-28) with 17 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
