Melissa McElvain

Position: Head Coach (11th Season) E-mail/Phone: mcelvain@sandiego.edu/260-4281

Melissa McElvain enters her 11th year as USD's head softball coach. During her tenure at USD, McElvain has coached 39 All-Pacific Coast Softball Conference honorees, including 2011 Coastal Division Player of the Year Taylor Hensley and two PCSC Freshmen of the Year in Jennifer Ellenbeck (2007) and Rebekah Bradford (2004). Hensley also earned second-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region honors.

Aside from their on-field success, McElvains's squads have featured 59 Toreros who have earned PCSC All-Academic recognition. In 2006, McElvain coached catcher Sara Mason, who was named ESPN The Magazine third-team Academic All-America, ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District, and PCSC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In 2010, Ellenbeck took home ESPN Academic All-America honors as well.

In 2011, McElvain led the Toreros to a record of 24-19 (14-6 PCSC), matching the 2007 season (24-26) for the most overall wins and marking the first winning season for the Toreros since she took over prior to the 2002 campaign. USD's second place finish in the PCSC Coastal Division standings was also the team's best finish during her tenure.

In 2005, McElvain's season was highlighted by the program's first ever victory over cross-town rival San Diego State, defeating the Aztecs 2-0 in an extraordinary extra inning game.

A 1999 graduate of Oklahoma State, McElvain (formerly Turley) earned All-Big XII honors while playing catcher and second base, as well as conference honors. She ranks in the Top-20 all-time at OSU in several categories, including games played, hits, total bases, doubles, RBI and stolen bases. McElvain led the Cowgirls to three post-season appearances and a third place finish in the 1998 Women's College World Series. While at Oklahoma State, she earned All-Big XII academic honors while attaining a Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Marketing. Additionally, she earned the OSU Community Service Contribution Award (1997-98); the NCAA Leadership Award (1998); and was a four-year SAAC Representative, serving as SAAC President in her senior year.

McElvain completed her Master's Degree in Leadership Studies in 2006 from the University of San Diego. Prior to her appointment as softball coach she was Assistant Sports Information Director at USD for a year-and-a-half. A native San Diegan, McElvain attended nearby Patrick Henry HS. Melissa, her husband Ryan and their daughters Mia and Kamryn reside in San Carlos.