Topic: Sad if true.....Megan Smith Lyon gone

[Daherdboy]

Well, I've been talking to a pretty reliable source about our softball coach leaving for UNC.
University of North Carolina is the only school that she would leave Marshall to go to since it is "Back Home" and the school is where she attended.....well, if she got an offer to go to Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Alabama....I don't know????  I just think that she wants to go home.

Also, after asking "the source" about how many players she may be taking to UNC with her, I was told.....(gulp) about 4.  UNC was only a .500 team this last year and they will need talent.

If that's the case, that will gut our team and we'll have to start over building a team.  Hopefully, it will be only 1 or 2 players at the most.  Losing Owen is bad enough.

Spears better do an extensive recruiting search and up the salary for the position to get someone with coaching talent, experience, as well as being a great recruiter.

[Herdkrush]

My daughter attended camp today. Notable players missing, not that it means anything, Feringa, Coleman, Owen, Ulrich. Coach Lyon and Coach Holub ran the camp along with Katie Adams and Aly Harrell. Didn't get to see all the players as they were split into different groups. Pitching/defense tomorrow. A lot of the incoming freshman class was there today as well.

[Buffalo Bop]

According to Chuck, Morgan Zerkle is a slam-dunk candidate for a coaching job.

[Herdiowa]

Is Shonda Stanton still at Indiana?  Is she doing pretty well there?  If not, maybe she'd consider a return to MU.  Then again, I believe her husband found work up in Indy at about the same time she left MU.

Shonda is likely not coming back for awhile.  Had Indiana in the Big 10 title game this year.

[gtrman4herd]

She got a commitment from the best player in WV in the ?24 class.

Shonda got commitments from 2 top WV players

[Flat Tire 2]

This is the new normal when a coach is hired away, the top players will want to follow her. Didn't we pick up the top player from Glenville when we hired Stephens. If Huff is hired away, we might lose some players.

Also, UNC is a very good school and very selective in admitting students; except for allowing in athletes. It would be hard for a player to resist an offer to attend UNC if the player is concerned about life after college. A UNC degree looks very good on your resume.

[Thundering In MD]

Best of luck to her.

[The Right Stuff]

I think Morgan Zerkle would do  a great job.  I don't think you will find a much better candidate with that experience. In the world of softball she would have all kinds of connections.

TRS
MU 71

[MicDrass1]

I think Morgan Zerkle would do  a great job.  I don't think you will find a much better candidate with that experience. In the world of softball she would have all kinds of connections.

TRS
MU 71

Successful coaching alums are always worth a strong look. 

[Flat Tire 2]

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Marshall University Softball Coach Megan Smith Lyon has resigned her post with the Thundering Herd to accept the same role at her alma mater North Carolina.
Marshall Director of Athletics Christian Spears thanked Coach Lyon for her five seasons with the Thundering Herd and said a national search for a new head coach would begin immediately.
?Megan will be missed, but we are immensely proud of her accomplishments and wish her well at UNC,? Spears said. ?She has our utmost respect and we wish her and her family nothing but the best. We are extremely confident we can attract an amazing person to Marshall to lead our softball program and that process has already begun.?

https://www.wsaz.com/2023/06/15/marshall-begin-national-search-new-softball-coach/

[FilmJunky]

I think Morgan Zerkle would do  a great job.  I don't think you will find a much better candidate with that experience. In the world of softball she would have all kinds of connections.

TRS
MU 71

I'm not sure a first time head coach is what Marshall needs at this point in time with the success of the program. That seems like too much of a risk for me.

[marshallmark]

Melissa Frost has been crazy successful at Univ. of Indianapolis at the D2 level.  She is a 1998 MU grad.

[coalherd]

The "National Search" could very well be just "for show", if Zerkle is already the inside "front runner"!!!

[chris88]

A small hiccup for Zerkle is that she is still playing professionally according to her Miami, OH bio.  Not sure FT HC would allow her to still do that. I would have no reservation about hiring her even as a first time HC but also would go through the process of interviewing multiple candidates.

[svherd]

Melissa Frost has been crazy successful at Univ. of Indianapolis at the D2 level.  She is a 1998 MU grad.

I would like this hire. Experience, likely connections. MU grad.

Not sure if Zerkle has the recruiting connections we need at this time.

[Herdiowa]

I laugh everytime there is a coaching vacancy.  We need to hire this alum or that alum.  How about we just hire the best coach we can get?

The best softball coach in the state of WV is Warner at WV Wesleyan.  He has had numerous super regional appearances and a World Series appearance, finishing 3rd, all of this with a maximum of 4.5 scholarships.  Before I hear that?s Div 2,  look up the enrollment of Angelo State and Minnesota State. Both at the World Series and both about the size of Marshall.  They also beat West Chester to get there and they are bigger than Marshall.  The World Series they appeared at had 2 future professional pitchers.  Yes the same professional league all the big players play in. 

[svherd]

I laugh everytime there is a coaching vacancy.  We need to hire this alum or that alum.  How about we just hire the best coach we can get?

The best softball coach in the state of WV is Warner at WV Wesleyan.  He has had numerous super regional appearances and a World Series appearance, finishing 3rd, all of this with a maximum of 4.5 scholarships.  Before I hear that?s Div 2,  look up the enrollment of Angelo State and Minnesota State. Both at the World Series and both about the size of Marshall.  They also beat West Chester to get there and they are bigger than Marshall.  The World Series they appeared at had 2 future professional pitchers.  Yes the same professional league all the big players play in.

A very solid candidate for sure.

[MidlandKnight]

I laugh everytime there is a coaching vacancy.  We need to hire this alum or that alum.  How about we just hire the best coach we can get?

The best softball coach in the state of WV is Warner at WV Wesleyan.  He has had numerous super regional appearances and a World Series appearance, finishing 3rd, all of this with a maximum of 4.5 scholarships.  Before I hear that?s Div 2,  look up the enrollment of Angelo State and Minnesota State. Both at the World Series and both about the size of Marshall.  They also beat West Chester to get there and they are bigger than Marshall.  The World Series they appeared at had 2 future professional pitchers.  Yes the same professional league all the big players play in.

Steve Warner is an excellent coach and great guy. The only question I would have is if he is willing to move, he is from Buckhannon and is not a spring chicken when it comes to age.  I also agree we have to get out of this mentality of hiring a "Herd" person and just get the best candidate.

[chris88]

No reason a Herd person couldn't be the best person in some instances. Bob Pruett comes to mind. Snyder was over his head and was left a mess. Don't think Mu has hired a Herd person since DD and he's been a mixed bag. Both Grassie and new women's BB coach are not from MU but both have strong WV connections. UNC didn't seem to mind an alum for the opening we are discussing.

[lexkyherdfan]

A small hiccup for Zerkle is that she is still playing professionally according to her Miami, OH bio.  Not sure FT HC would allow her to still do that. I would have no reservation about hiring her even as a first time HC but also would go through the process of interviewing multiple candidates.

She was a captain last weekend in the league she played in. I watched some of their game on on of the ESPN channels. She has been very successful in the league she is playing in.