Kristen Gardner - Softball Coach

Kristen Gardner

Title:
Graduate Assistant
Email:
kristen.gardner@usm.edu

Kristen Gardner enters her first season with the Southern Miss softball program as a graduate assistant, after a successful playing career at both Mississippi College (Clinton, Miss) and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (Perkinston, Miss.). Gardner also saw time on the professional level, as she spent the Summer of 2018 playing in the ASBA for E1 Pro Ballers. She was named Player of the Game on July 18, 2018.

Gardner attended Mississippi College from 2016-2018 where she was a pitcher for the Lady Choctaw softball team. The Vancleave, Miss. native was a member of Mississippi College’s softball team that won the Gulf Coast Conference Championship in 2017. Gardner’s efforts in the circle helped pave the road to the Lady Choctaws 2017 Gulf Coast Conference Championship as she pitched a complete game in the NCAA South Regional, clinching the first NCAA Division II Tournament victory in Mississippi College history. Gardner graduated from Mississippi College in May of 2018 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Psychology.

Gardner began her collegiate career at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 2014. During her time at MGCCC, she was a part of the Lady Bulldogs softball team that won both the MACJC state title and the NJCAA Region 23 title in 2015. She was named MACJC Pitcher of the Week in March of 2015.

Gardner is a 2014 graduate of Vancleave High School (Vancleave, Miss.) where she played for coach Donna Bragg. During her senior campaign, Gardner complied a 0.95 ERA, recorded 251 strikeouts, issued a mere seven walks and held opponents to .150 batting average. She was also named the team MVP of the Vancleave High School softball team in 2014. She was named the VHS Rookie of the Year in 2012 and earned All-District honors.