University of Charleston Women's Softball

Taylor Welch will be entering her 2nd season as the University of Charleston Head Coach heading into the 2026 season. In her debut season at UC, Welch guided the Golden Eagles to 37-17 record, a Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament Championship, and a birth to the NCAA Tournament. During her first year, Welch guided athletes to 3 All-MEC selections, including two First Team honors and Pitcher of The Year for Addison Mass. Mass was also selected for First Team All-Region. The Golden Eagles led the Mountain East Conference (MEC) in pitching with a 2.39 ERA, fielding with a .975 fielding percentage, and third in batting average with .297. Welch was previously an Assistant Coach for the Gannon Golden Knights softball program where she helped lead the team to a 32-15 record and a PSAC West Regular Season title in 2024. Prior to her time at Gannon, Welch served as a graduate assistant on the Edinboro coaching staff in 2021 and 2022 while completing her master’s degree in social work. During this time Welch also worked at New Directions Healthcare as a counselor where she worked closely with patients and motivated them for a better quality of life. Welch played at Slippery Rock from 2012 to 2015, appearing in 122 games with 119 starts. Welch had her best season as a senior in 2015, starting all 38 games for The Rock and earning first-team All-PSAC West honors. She hit .330, ranking second on the team with 34 hits in 103 at-bats. She led the team with 12 doubles, tied for fifth in the PSAC, and contributed 19 runs, 17 walks, and a .426 on-base percentage. Additionally, she had 2 home runs, 6 stolen bases, and 16 RBIs. Welch graduated from Slippery Rock in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and earned her master’s degree in social work from Edinboro in May 2022.

Maddie Krause joins the University of Charleston softball program as a Graduate Assistant after a  five-year collegiate career at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. A native of Cleveland, Ohio and a 2020 graduate of Holy Name High School, Krause was a key contributor at third base for the Golden Knights. Krause was coached by Taylor Welch during her Junior and Senior years at Gannon University.  During her time at Gannon, Krause helped lead the program to multiple successful campaigns while excelling both on the field and in the classroom. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies and went on to complete her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Gannon as well. Krause brings a strong work ethic, leadership experience, and a deep understanding of the game to her role at UC. As a Graduate Assistant, she will assist in all aspects of the program including player development, recruiting, and operations.

Lucas enters her first season as an assistant coach with the University of Charleston softball program ahead of the 2026 season. She joins the Golden Eagles staff following a successful four-year playing career at Marshall University, where she was a four-year starter and key contributor for the Thundering Herd. During her time at Marshall, Lucas appeared in 187 games with 169 starts, primarily at first base. She finished her career with a .305 batting average, 149 hits, 34 home runs, and over 120 RBIs. In her senior season, she posted a .322 average with a career-best 55 hits and 15 home runs. A consistent offensive threat and defensive anchor, she helped guide Marshall through multiple conference campaigns.  Lucas was also recognized for her academic achievements, earning NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete honors and being named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll multiple times. Known for her leadership, competitive edge, and in-depth understanding of the game, Lucas brings a player-centered coaching philosophy and a commitment to developing well-rounded student-athletes to the Golden Eagles staff. Lucas earned her bachelor’s degree from Marshall University in Exercise Science and is excited to begin her coaching career at the University of Charleston.