JOURNAL SPORTS
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Former Northwestern State softball coach Donald Pickett, who led the Demons to great success in 15 seasons until departing in 2023, is back in the college ranks in his backyard.
Pickett, who won almost 400 games at NSU, was announced Thursday as the new head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga.
After three years back home in an area where he has family roots, Pickett returns to his alma mater where he spent five seasons including four as an assistant to the retired Frank Reed, who stepped down June 22.
Said Chattanooga vice chancellor of athletics Mark Wharton: “It’s great when you can bring someone in who not only has a strong history of success as a head coach on the collegiate level, but they also have a rich history with the program they’re joining.
“His proven track record and strong ties to a vibrant softball community made this a home run for us.”
In 2023, Pickett returned to the Scenic City as general manager of the Chattanooga Steam professional softball team and was vice president of coach and player development for the Fury Platinum organization. He owns Tristar Elite Hitting and was head coach of the Fury Platinum X Pickett 16u.
He spent 15 seasons as the head coach at Northwestern State where he is the program’s winningest head coach amassing 393 victories. He led the Demons to the three Southland Conference Championships. Two were tournament titles in 2013 and 2014, producing NCAA Tournament appearances, followed by the 2015 regular season crown with a stellar 22-3 league mark.
“I’m incredibly excited to be back in Chattanooga and grateful for the opportunity to lead this program,” Pickett said. “Returning to the place where my coaching journey began makes this a truly special full-circle moment. Chattanooga softball has a proud tradition, and a strong foundation. I’m eager to get to work building on that success and look forward to investing in our student-athletes, connecting with our community and competing for championships.”
Pickett turned around an NSU program that won just 39 percent of its games in the three years prior to his arrival. He posted winning marks in 12 of his 15 campaigns topping 30 triumphs five times and 40 once. The Demons 40-15 mark in 2013 featured the top winning percentage (.727) in school history.
Northwestern made two NCAA Tournament appearances in his tenure following the 2013 and 2014 SLC titles. That 2014 squad featured the first Demons in more than a decade to make the All-South Region squads (Tara McKenney and Kellye Kincannon). In all, he coached six all-region performers.
He was named the 2013 Louisiana Sports Writers Association and 2015 Southland Conference Coach of the Year. He coached 21 All-Louisiana selections and 48 All-Southland picks, including 2015 SLC Pitcher of the Year Mikayla Brown and 2022 SLC Freshman of the Year Sage Hoover.
Prior to NSU, Pickett was an assistant coach at Memphis for two seasons where he assisted with recruiting and player development while helping the Tigers to its first conference tournament win.
Pickett assisted Reed for nine seasons across two Scenic City programs. He spent five seasons at UTC as an assistant coach. The Mocs claimed three Southern Conference Tournament regular season titles during his tenure, three conference tournament crowns and three trips to the NCAA.
At Chattanooga State under Reed, the Tigers claimed three conference titles and three tournament titles. In all three Junior College World Series appearances, Chattanooga State finished in the top 5.
The Tigers posted an NJCAA record 62-wins in 2001, a mark that still stands today, and the staff was named the National Fastpitch Coaching Staff of the Year.