UNC Athletics
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Softball head coach Megan Smith Lyon named Hays native Maddie Holub as the program's new assistant coach on Friday. Holub will serve as the Tar Heels' pitching coach.
"I'm excited that Maddie is joining the Tar Heel family," Smith Lyon said. "I have seen first-hand the positive impact she has on all our players, especially the pitchers and catchers. She is extremely loyal, a tireless worker and an incredible role model for the young women she coaches. I can't wait for her to get to work in Chapel Hill."
Holub arrives at Carolina after five seasons as the pitching coach on Smith Lyons' staff at Marshall.
"I'm extremely excited to be joining Coach Smith Lyon and Coach Lyon at UNC," Holub said. "The strong, family-driven culture and passion for the game that Coach Smith Lyon brings is inspiring and going to elevate an already traditionally strong program. It's an exciting time for the Tar Heel softball family and I'm so grateful to be part of it."
The Thundering Herd led the Sun Belt in pitching in 2023 with a league-best 1.62 ERA and 10 shutouts. Marshall's Sydney Nester was the conference's pitching triple crown winner with a 1.07 ERA, 27 wins and 234 strikeouts.
Under Holub's coaching, Nester earned 2022 First team All-Region honors and set the program record for the most strikeouts per seven innings (9.03) and tied the record for the most double-digit strikeout games in a year (12).
Marshall won 165 games out of 234 (.705 winning percentage), including 45 by shutout, in Holub's five years as pitching coach.
Prior to her time in Huntington, Holub spent four seasons as the pitching coach at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Fla. While working with the Lions, Holub helped the squad to back-to-back NCAA Division II postseason appearances including reaching the World Series in 2018. She was named NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year for Division II in 2015.
Prior to coaching at Saint Leo, Holub assisted at her alma mater Fort Hays State. The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 13 in the country during her time on staff. Holub also coached overseas in Collecchio, Italy, with the Collecchio Softball 17U and 10U teams. While in Italy, Holub focused on pitcher development and conditioning while assisting with game management.
During her playing career at Fort Hays State, Holub was a dominant performer in the circle and at the plate. She is still her team's record holder in career hits (255), runs scored (183), RBI (160), home runs (46), wins (77) and strikeouts (974). The four-time all-conference performer was honored as the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Player and Pitcher of the Year in her senior season of 2013.
She was named to the Fort Hays State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.
Holub earned her degree in health and human performance from Fort Hays State University in 2013.