Armstrong Promoted to Associate Head Coach

By Steven Grandy

WCU Athletics

Madison Armstrong, a Western Carolina softball alum and assistant coach since January 2020, has been promoted to Associate Head Coach of the Catamount softball program, WCU officials announced on Tuesday.

“Madison Armstrong has long deserved this promotion,” said WCU head softball coach Jim Clift. “She is such a gifted coach with an incredible career ahead of her. Our relationship has truly become a partnership. It is hard to express how much Madison means to me, our players, and to this softball program.”

Working primarily with the pitching staff, Armstrong’s hurlers finished third in the Southern Conference in 2023 with 243 strikeouts and posted an ERA of 3.78 which was fourth-best in the league. Jayme Eilers earned Pitcher of the Month honors for April 2023 and also claimed the honor in April 2021. Tessa Juett finished third in the league with 107 strikeouts and earned SoCon Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 13. During her first full season in 2021, the Catamounts finished second in the regular season standings and were the SoCon Tournament runner-up.

Armstrong, a December 2019 graduate, joined the coaching staff for the COVID pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

During her playing career, the Gastonia, N.C., native earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors in 2018 and was a member of the 2017 SoCon All-Tournament Team and the 2016 All-Freshman Team. She ended her career ranked first for most runners caught stealing with 44 and second in the Western Carolina record books for doubles in a career with 35. Armstrong was also a standout performer in the classroom where she was a three-time Academic All-District honoree.