Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Women's Softball

Biography Port Orange native and Spruce Creek High School Hall of Famer Kelsi Dunne Diaz was named the head coach of the Embry-Riddle softball program in June 2014.   She continues to show that ERAU made the right decision. The Eagles have finished with a record over .500 in every season under Dunne Diaz, including two seasons with over 30 wins.    In her first season at the helm, Dunne Diaz guided the Eagles to a program-record 25 wins, finishing the 2015 campaign 25-21. The Eagles’ 8-8 Sun Conference record was good for fourth in the league’s regular season standings and the Blue and Gold closed out the year with a 2-2 showing at the conference tournament.   Dunne Diaz also guided some of her players to individual accolades in 2015, including first team All-Conference selections Anna Battison, Kailah Rain and Raquelli Bianco, with Battison and Rain also receiving All-Region recognition from the NFCA. For the second time in program history, Dunne Diaz guided the program back to the NCAA II Regionals in 2022 after making her first appearance in 2018 thanks to the performance of two Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association All-Region selections in Kelsi Collins and Mahaliyah Sandridge.  2023 saw Dunne Diaz record her 200th career win in a 2-0 upset win over No. 18 Lincoln Memorial at the NFCA DII Leadoff Classic. It was one of a single-season program record four wins against ranked opposition. Additionally, that squad recorded six walk-off wins during the campaign, earning the nickname 11th-Hour Eagles to coincide with the 11th season of the program. 2025 was a historic season on the base paths as Dunne Diaz coached Leah Oberkehr to an NCAA II-best 1.06 stolen bases per game to reach a milestone of 50 stolen bases in a season. That allowed Oberkehr to become the first recipient of the NFCA Golden Shoe Award in Embry-Riddle and Sunshine State Conference history. Additionally, Oberkehr strung together a program-record 30-game hit streak as well. In total, Dunne Diaz has produced 13 All-Region and 24 All-Conference selections, two All-Tournament honorees, and one Conference Freshman of the Year. Academically, the Eagles have thrived under Dunne Diaz, as the program has been responsible for three Academic All-Americans, 19 Academic All-District honorees, 115 Academic All-Conference selections, 61 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes, and 46 recipients of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award.   Dunne Diaz came to ERAU after serving as an Assistant Coach at Oklahoma State in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. At OSU, Dunne Diaz worked primarily with the pitchers and catchers, developing workouts, overseeing practice sessions, developing and implementing pitching game plans with pitch calling during games. She also performed similar duties as a volunteer assistant coach at Mississippi State throughout the 2012 season.   In the summer of 2019, Dunne Diaz served as the pitching coach for the USSSA Pride of the National Pro Fastpitch league. Dunne Diaz helped lead the team, which included ERAU Assistant Coach Bianka Bell, to the Cowles Cup as champions of the NPF.    Dunne Diaz was a standout collegiate player at the University of Alabama where she led the Crimson Tide to three Women's College World Series appearances - including a semifinal finish in 2011 - SEC regular season titles in 2010 and 2011, and the SEC tournament crown in 2010.   Named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 2010 and 2011, she was a four-time NCAA Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American as well as a four-time Easton first team All-American. A four-time All-SEC pitcher, Dunne Diaz was the 2008 SEC Freshman of the Year and was the MVP of the 2010 SEC tournament. She was a USA Softball top-10 finalist for Player of the Year in 2009 and 2011, and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 National Pro Fastpitch League by the NPF Diamonds.   Dunne Diaz closed out her career with the Crimson Tide as the all-time leader in strikeouts (1,219), strikeouts per seven innings (9.82), complete game no-hitters (9) and shutouts (40). She also finished with 113 career wins, which ranks sixth on the SEC's all-time list.   Dunne Diaz also racked up numerous accolades at Spruce Creek High School. She set a Florida High School Athletic Association single-game strikeout record with 38 Ks in 17 innings of work in a playoff game in 2006 and became only the second player in the state to post two 400-strikeout campaigns. Dunne Diaz was the 2007 EA Sports National Softball Player of the Year and a two-time EA Sports High School All-America first team selection.   Dunne Diaz earned her bachelor's degree in Business Management and Administration from Alabama in 2010 and completed her master's degree in Sport Management, also at Alabama, in 2012.   Dunne Diaz is married to Victor Diaz and the couple resides in Port Orange with their two sons. Coaching History Year Ovr. Pct. Conf. Pct. Accomplishments 11 Years 281-173 .619 117-88 .571 2015 25-21 .543 8-8 .500 TSC Tournament Appearance 2016 35-13 .729 - - 2017 26-22 .542 - - 2018 33-15 .688 20-10 .667 SSC Regular Season Runner-Up, NCAA II Regional Appearance 2019 26-19 .578 17-13 .567 2020 18-6 .750 7-2 .778 2021 Season canceled due to Covid-19 2022 28-18 .609 19-11 .633 NCAA II Regional Appearance 2023 28-22 .560 15-15 .500 2024 33-19 .635 16-14 .533 2025 29-18 .617 15-15 .500 PERSONAL Hometown Port Orange, Fla. Family Husband: Victor Diaz; Children: Two sons Education B.S. in Business Management and Administration (Alabama); M.S. in Sports Management (Alabama) ACCOLADES 281 Career Wins 2 National Tournament Appearances 10 Straight seasons with a winning record 13 All-Region honorees 24 All-Conference selections 3 Academic All-Americans 19 Academic All-District honorees 115 Academic All-Conference recipients MILESTONES AT EMBRY-RIDDLE First Victory: at Florida Tech, 2-0 (Feb. 21, 2015) First vs. Conference Opponent: Warner, 9-0 [5] (March 21, 2015) First Postseason Win: Warner, 5-2 (April 30, 2015) First National Tournament Win: N/A 100th Win: vs Saint Leo, 4-0 (March 3, 2018) 200th Win: vs #18 Lincoln Memorial, 2-0 (Feb. 25, 2023) Total Top-25 Polls Appeared In: 9 @coachkelsid 

Allyne Clark was brought on as an assistant coach for Embry-Riddle softball in July of 2024. She joined the Eagles after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Iowa Western Community College. During her stint with the Reivers, Clark aided the squad to Region 11 and Midwest District titles as well as the program's first appearance at the NJCAA I World Series in 11 years in 2024. Under Clark, Iowa Western manufactured one All-American, one Defensive Player of the Year, and two All-District honorees.     Prior to IWCC, Clark produced a solid collegiate and professional career. She committed to Highland C.C. in Kansas and competed for the Scotties for three seasons, earning All-Region honors in 2013. Clark also helped Highland reach the NJCAA World Series on two occasions with a pair of Region VI titles. Clark then transferred to Iona for her last two years.   A four-year professional career followed as Clark played for teams based in the Czech Republic, New Zealand, and the U.S.

Samantha joined the ERAU softball staff in January 2026. She joins the staff after previously serving as the student manager for Texas Tech softball from 2021-2025. While at Tech she was a member of the World Series squad that finished as national runners-up. A 2025 graduate of Texas Tech, foster holds a degree in sports management with a minor in general business. She is currently pursuing a masters in leadership here at Embry-Riddle.