Staff

BEV SMITH – Head Coach

South Carolina has seen its star rise again in the collegiate softball world, and head coach Beverly Smith has guided that process since arriving as head coach in July of 2010. She oversees all aspects of the program and works most closely on the field with the pitchers. As a head coach, Smith’s overall record is 278-196, becoming only the second Gamecock softball coach with over 200 career wins.

From 2013-18, Smith has guided the Gamecocks to six-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, which is tied for the longest streak in program history. The Gamecocks have competed in the regional championship three-consecutive seasons, as the 2018 team reached the program’s second-ever super regional. The Gamecocks finished the 2018 season with an impressive 49-17 (15-9 SEC) mark on their way to a third-place finish in the SEC, their best finish since placing second in the SEC East in 2003. Carolina used the momentum from a strong conference campaign in the SEC Tournament on its way to the program’s first Tournament Championship appearance since 2001. The 49 overall wins were the most since 1999, while the 15 conference wins were the most since winning 18 in 2003. In the polls Carolina finished 11th, its highest final ranking since 1997 and the second-best finish in school history. In total, the Gamecocks broke four season records as a team (home runs, RBI, HBP, fielding percentage and double plays turned) while Jana Johns broke three individual season records (HBP, assists at third and fielding percentage at third). For the first time since 1997, Carolina had five players receive All-SEC honors (Kenzi Maguire, Mackenzie Boesel, Alyssa VanDerveer, Johns and Kelsey Oh). With national recognition, the Gamecocks had three players named to All-Region Teams (Maguire, Boesel and VanDerveer) for the first time since 1999. In the classroom, Boesel became the 10th Gamecock in program history (second under Smith) to take Academic All-America honors.

Over the course of the past six years, the team has improved its final RPI from the NCAA from No. 37 in 2013 to No. 9 in 2018. During the past eight seasons the program’s offense has posted some of its strongest seasons during Smith’s tenure, setting 28 team program records. In the per-game team records, Smith’s group holds eight of the 16 tracked. Gamecock pitching has improved markedly during that same tenure. From 2013-15, Smith’s staff improved its strikeout-to-walk ratio in each season, while the 2016 and 2017 groups posted the program’s first earned-run average under 3.00 since 2008 (2.82 in 2016, 2.96 in 2017). In 2018, the team had three different 10-plus game winners for the first time under Smith’s leadership while the trio of pitchers produced the team’s lowest ERA since 2007.

Many Gamecocks have broken out with their hard work under the watchful eye of Smith and her coaching staff. The 2018 leaders proved to be Boesel at the plate and Cayla Drotar in the circle. For the second-straight season, Boesel led the Gamecocks in nine different offensive categories (at bats, on-base percentage, hits, triples, batting average, runs, total bases, RBI and slugging percentage) while she paced the Gamecocks in two categories (doubles and walks) for the first time in her career. In the circle Drotar led the Gamecocks with 21 wins, becoming the first 20-game winner since 2015 and just the second in the past 16 years at Carolina. Drotar became the first pitcher not named Jessica Elliott or Nickie Blue to lead the team in innings pitched and wins since 2013. In league honors the Gamecocks had two players (Maguire and Tiara Duffy) named SEC Player of the Week while Johns became the first freshman in program history to be named SEC Freshman of the Week twice.

The 2017 breakout star proved to be Boesel, as well. She led the Gamecock offense in most categories, including setting a program mark for a rookie with 10 home runs and a .441 on-base percentage. The 2017 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team honoree also garnered third-team All-Southeast Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

In 2016, Kaylea Snaer led NCAA Division I in doubles and broke the Gamecocks’ and SEC’s single-season marks, settling at 27 on the year. Alaynie Page set five single-season records, including a new program record of 15 home runs for a Gamecock during her 2015 NFCA First-Team All-America campaign, the first for a Gamecock under Smith.

Duffy also earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2015 as she led the Gamecocks at the plate and in the outfield during the year.

In 2014, Ashlyn Masters posted 15 single-season top-15 marks, including setting what was a new record of 0.34 doubles per game en route to NFCA Second-Team All-Southeastern Region accolades. Snaer and Nickie Blue also earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors during the year, with Blue leading the nation in saves as well as making the inaugural NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year watch list.

In Smith’s first three years, Samie Garcia paced the team at the plate in many regards. As a senior, Garcia gained 2013 First-Team Easton All-America recognition after hitting .397 on the campaign. The year prior, Lauren Lackey earned second-team Easton All-America honors, hitting .401 on the year, becoming the seventh Gamecock to hit .400 during a season. Page, Garcia and Lackey all gained All-SEC honors under Smith’s leadership during their career.

During those first three seasons, the 2013 Gamecocks advanced into postseason play for the first time under her leadership, earning spots in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments. The Gamecocks set six team offensive records during the 34-25 campaign, including topping home run record set in 2012. The team scored a record 338 runs, held a .384 on-base percentage and slugged at a .450 clip. Closing the regular season with six wins in nine games, five coming on the road in SEC play, Smith led South Carolina to the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2007, where the Gamecocks defeated Kentucky in the first round. From there, the Gamecocks went to the Austin Regional, where they advanced to championship Sunday with two wins.

In 2012, South Carolina set three offensive records, with Lackey and Chelsea Hawkins both being named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Southeast Region second team.

The 2011 squad made a 15-game improvement in Smith’s first year, improving in nearly every statistical category. The pitchers under Smith lowered the team ERA by over 1.50 runs and gave up 53 less hits in 60 more innings of work.

Two Gamecocks have moved onto the National Pro Fastpitch circuit during her tenor. Garcia spent three years in the league with the NY/NJ Comets and the Pennsylvania Rebellion, getting drafted by the Comets in the fourth round of the 2013 College Draft. Page played for the NPF’s 2016 champs, the Chicago Bandits.

Not only have pros come from Smith’s time at South Carolina, but she’s also developed a coaching tree eight years in. Two of her former players and graduate assistant managers, Ashley Chastain and Kaela Jackson, serve on staffs in the Big 10 Conference (Chastain at Minnesota and Jackson on the Michigan State staff), while two former volunteer assistants are assistant coaches at big-name schools (Laura Trout, Illinois; Chrissy Schoonmaker, UConn). Fellow former volunteer assistant coach Matt Stewart has also added a branch to the Smith coaching tree, serving on the staff at Campbell. In all, seven former players or staff members are coaching elsewhere.

Prior to coming to South Carolina, Smith served as the top assistant at North Carolina, working mostly with the pitchers and catchers. The final three years, she was the associate head coach after nine as an assistant. Smith helped the Tar Heels to two Atlantic Coast Conference titles in 2001 and 2008 and eight of their nine NCAA Tournament appearances. She served as the lead recruiter for the Tar Heels during that time, helping to bring in five All-Americans into the UNC program. She also helped North Carolina achieve a top-25 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll at least once per season from 2006-10.

She coached a pitching staff that ranked in the top 10 in the nation in ERA in three of her final four seasons at North Carolina. The 2010 squad finished 16th in NCAA Division I with a 1.92 ERA. Her top pupil was three-time All-American and two-time ACC Player of the Year Danielle Spaulding. During her final three seasons, Spaulding finished in the nation's top six in strikeouts per seven innings. In 2010, Spaulding was the toughest pitcher in the country to hit against, as she yielded just 2.61 hits per seven innings. In 2009, Spaulding led the country with 14.3 strikeouts per seven innings.

Smith also guided Crystal Cox to All-America honors, making the third team in 2006 after claiming ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2003. Amber Johnson also garnered second-team All-ACC accolades during her time under Smith. In total, five of her pitchers claimed 10 all-league honors.

Her pitchers have also gone onto success as professional athletes and in coaching. Lisa Norris, a former All-ACC pitcher for Smith, took the 2010 NPF Diamond Sports Pitcher of the Year award for the pro league. Both Spaulding (Texas A&M) and Norris (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) hold pitching coach jobs with NCAA Division I teams.

Smith’s catchers also stood out in the ACC, with three claiming all-conference honors. Ally Blake and Brittany McKinney claimed spots in 2010 and 2009, respectively, while Natalie Anter made the list four times from 1999-2002. Anter also played in the 2004 Athens Olympics with the Italian national team.

Born in Asheboro, N.C., and raised in Houston, Texas, Smith spent two years at the University of Houston, starting in the academic office before working as the athletics department's marketing coordinator. She played and served as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay FireStix of the Women's Pro Softball League in 1997. During this time, she also coached Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas, to three state titles and a state runner-up spot (1995-98).

A standout player for head coach Donna Papa before joining her staff, Smith was the 1994 ACC Player of the Year. A dual threat, Smith still ranks ninth in Tar Heel history in slugging percentage, second in triples, third in RBI, fifth in shutouts and seventh in ERA. Smith was honored as one of the top 50 softball players in ACC history during the league’s 50th-anniversary celebration in 2002.

In addition to her coaching, Smith has been a speaker/clinician at many camps and conventions. She graduated from North Carolina in 1994 with a double major in speech communications and political science.

Smith's Employment Timeline

2011-present Head coach, South Carolina

2008-2010 Associate head coach, North Carolina

2005-2008 Assistant head coach, North Carolina

2002-2003 Private business

1998-2002, 2004 – Assistant coach, North Carolina

1997 – Assistant coach, Tampa Bay FireStix (WPSL)

1996-1998 – Head coach, Episcopal High School (Bellaire, Texas)

1995-1996 – Marketing coordinator, Houston

1994-1995 – Academic affairs assistant, Houston

Smith's Playing Timeline

1991-1994 – North Carolina

1997 – Tampa Bay FireStix (WPSL)

Smith's Education Timeline

1994 – B.A., Speech Communications & Political Science, North Carolina

KATIE REPOLE – Assistant Coach

Katie “Crash” Repole was named an assistant coach for South Carolina softball in August of 2021.

Repole (pronounced REP-LEE) joined the Gamecocks after two successful seasons as the volunteer assistant coach at Texas A&M.

A former standout at Louisiana-Lafayette, Repole’s responsibilities with the Aggies included coaching the outfielders, assisting with hitters, video, camps and clinics and on-campus recruiting.

In 2021, Repole worked closely with freshman outfielder Bre Warren, who earned SEC Player and Freshman of the Week honors. Warren also garnered spots on the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman squad. Repole was vital in the Aggies’ offensive prowess with the team finishing 11th in the nation in walks and 29th in team slugging percentage.

During the 2020 shortened season due to COVID-19, Repole aided in the Aggies’ offensive success as the finished fourth in the nation in double and ninth in doubles per game.

Repole came to College Station after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia. There she worked with the outfielders and offense and was the Cavaliers’ recruiting coordinator.

In Repole’s first season with the Cavaliers, she helped lead Virginia to the ACC Tournament for the first time in three years as the Cavaliers won nine ACC games, the second most in school history. The 2017 offense ranked in the top five in the ACC in multiple categories, as catcher Katie Park earned All-ACC honors and was the program’s first NFCA First Team All-Region selection since 2013.

In 2019, Repole assisted in the development of Lacy Smith, who became the fourth Cavalier in program history to earn All-America honors as she was named to the Softball America First Team. Smith posted a career-best .414 batting average while slugging a school-record 15 home runs.

Prior to joining the coaching staff in Charlottesville, Repole worked at several instructional clinics across the country with multiple NCAA Division I programs, and served as an assistant coach with the Texas Bombers 18U softball team and the Texas Bombers 16U Gold team, a program that has consistently finished among the top teams in the nation with an Amateur Softball Association 16U Gold national championship.

She has also worked as a Director of Development with the Texas Bombers organization, working with athletes from all 52 teams and assisting members of the program in the recruiting process.

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Repole played collegiately for Illinois her freshman and sophomore seasons before she transferred to Louisiana-Lafayette for the final two years of her career. She helped the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 46-9 record and a top-10 national ranking as a senior.

KEVIN MAGUIRE – Assistant Coach

A former minor league baseball player with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Maguire has provided instruction to softball players ages 14-17 for not-for-profit fastpitch teams that traveled across the country for competitions to prepare athletes to play at the collegiate level and joined South Carolina softball prior to the fall of 2021.

Maguire’s daughter, Kenzi, recently graduated after her six-year career in the Garnet and Black. An Academic All-American and two-time All-SEC selection, she finished as one of the most successful players in program history.

Originally from New Port Richey, Fla., Maguire played baseball at Austin Peay State before he was drafted by the Pirates.

JAKE EPSTEIN– Assistant Coach

South Carolina softball head coach Beverly Smith announced July 27, 2023 the addition of Jake Epstein to her coaching staff. He will serve as the hitting coach for the Gamecocks.

Regarded as one of the top hitting instructors in the country, Epstein has a wealth of playing and coaching experience to Carolina. For the past 20-plus years, Epstein has served as a full-time hitting instructor with professional and amateur players, while also spending the previous six seasons working as a hitting consultant for the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

As the founder of the Epstein Online Hitting Academy, he has consulted with multiple Major League Baseball organizations, including the Padres, Giants, and Brewers, as well as several Power 5 baseball and softball programs. He has personally trained countless professional baseball players as well as collegiate baseball and softball student-athletes. His college softball athletes have included former SEC players Casidy Chaumont of Missouri, who is currently playing for the USSSA Pride of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch league, along with two-time All-American and 2021 SEC Player of the Year Bailey Hemphill of Alabama.

He served as a hitting coach for the University of Missouri baseball program in 2019, helping the Tigers to a 34-22-1 record. Under Epstein, the Tigers improved in every major offensive category from the previous season. Two of his hitters were drafted during the 2019 MLB draft, with Kameron Misner being selected in the first round and Chris Cornelius in the 16th.

Epstein enjoyed a standout playing career prior to his coaching tenure at the University of Missouri and Cal State Fullerton. He was named a co-captain for the Tigers following a Big 12 All-Conference campaign in 1998. After three seasons at Missouri, Epstein played his final season with the Titans.

Following his final college season, Epstein signed with the Anaheim Angels organization and hit .336 with 14 doubles, five home runs and 33 RBI in his lone season of professional baseball. He was originally drafted in the 34th round of the 1996 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres out of Mount Carmel High School.

Epstein earned his degree in communications from Cal State Fullerton in 2002. He is married to his wife, Jamie, and with whom they have three daughters – Ella, Hannah, and Vivienne.

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