GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Annette Hunt-Shepherd, who has served as Gettysburg College's head softball coach since the 2014 season, has been named the College's Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness, announced by Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation Mike Mattia on Thursday.

Hunt-Shepherd, who will also serve as the department's Senior Woman Administrator moving forward, will step down as head softball coach to move into the full-time administrative role. She has served the last nine seasons at the helm of the Bullets' softball program, posting an overall record of 186-117-1 and winning Centennial Conference championships in 2018 and 2021.

"I am very excited to have Annette take on the responsibility of Director of Campus Recreations and Wellness," Mattia said. "Adding the Senior Woman Administrator role to her portfolio will be a huge addition to the administrative team in the Department of Athletics and Campus Recreation.  Annette has had great success in her tenure leading the softball program. I know this is a bittersweet moment for her. However, she has a real passion for recreation and will have the ability to have a positive impact on a large portion of our student body with this new position."

Hunt-Shepherd has a been involved in campus recreation and wellness for the majority of her professional career, including serving as intramural coordinator since her arrival at Gettysburg in 2013. She has developed, marketed, supervised, and evaluated the nationally-ranked intramural sports program. Additionally, she has assisted with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for campus recreation as well as served on other institutional and departmental committees.

"I am sincerely appreciative of this new opportunity to be the next Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness while serving as Senior Woman Administrator," Hunt-Shepherd said. "The responsibility of continuing the great work of Cindy Wright is a tremendous honor. I'm incredibly thankful to the search committee for their trust in me with this position. I'm excited to work with the amazing student employees who support the health and well-being of our entire campus community."

Prior to Gettysburg, Hunt-Shepherd was at Houghton College, where she was hired as the Assistant Director of Wilderness Adventures in 2011 before being promoted to Director after one year. While in Western New York, she directed, developed, managed, implemented, and evaluated year-round recreational and experiential programming for a 24-element Challenge Course, Nielson Outdoor Center, Houghton Ski Hill, indoor rock wall, camp closet, and an off-campus youth tripping program (STEP).

She was also at Ohio Northern from 2001-10, serving not only in coaching roles for softball and women's soccer but also as a lecturer in HPSS. She taught several fitness and physical education classes each academic year, including such offerings as dance, yoga, wellness, snow skiing, whitewater rafting, and backpacking.

She also served as an outdoor summer camp counselor and director for Valley Mill Camp from 1997-2001. An avid backpacker, camper, and hiker, she also was a member of the US Kayak Polo team from 1999-2000, was a Maryland State Competitor in Tae Kwon Do in 1997 and 1998, and placed amateur pro softball from 1998-2003.

In her tenure as head coach of the Bullets' softball program, she guided the team to five seasons of 20 or more wins, including the program's first 30-win season in 2015. Her team made the conference postseason in five of the seven seasons in which there was a tournament. She coached 37 all-conference and five all-region performers as well as four conference players of the year. She also mentored the first conference pitcher of the year in program history and the first three rookies of the year.

She also served one years the head coach at Division II Pittsburg State and seven years as head coach at Ohio Northern, compiling an overall record of 390-247-2 for a .612 winning percentage over 17 seasons on the diamond. In total, she earned conference coach of the year honors four times and was the 2009 regional coach of the year. She posted nine 20-win seasons and coached six All-Americans, 22 all-region honorees, and 69 all-conference performers.

Hunt-Shepherd began her playing career at Miami (Ohio) University, starting every game she played at first base and catcher from 1992 to 1994. She went on to play one year at Shippensburg University, grabbing All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference first-team accolades at third base in 1995 before closing her career at the University of Maryland. She served as the Terrapins team captain and helped the team win the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 1997.

"Softball has been a blessing to me," Hunt-Shepherd added. "From a player to a coach, I have been able to travel the country and witness the growth of outstanding athletes over the past 21 years. I've seen the selfless giving of coaches, support staff, athletic trainers, sports information, equipment staff, facilities staff, and countless others who work together all determined to create a great experience for our student-athletes. I'm immensely grateful for all of the relationships I've made and, while this is bittersweet, I am looking forward to taking the lessons I have learned and the experiences I've gained into this next chapter of my life."

Hunt-Shepherd received her B.S. in Health Education from Maryland in 1997 and attained her master's in Park, Recreation, and Resource Management from Frostburg State University in 2004.

Hunt-Shepherd immediately begins her transition to campus recreation. A national search for the next head softball coach will also begin immediately.