University of West Florida Women's Softball

Ashliegh McLean was named head coach of the UWF softball program in May 2018, after four years as an assistant with the team. Entering her 8th season with the program, McLean has compiled a 230-107 (.682) record, including a 132-59 record in the Gulf South Conference, making for the best conference winning percentage (.691) in program history. She has compiled two GSC Championships, six GSC Tournament appearances, three NCAA tournament appearances, and 20 postseason wins. As a head coach, her teams have accounted for a combined 25 All-Conference selections, 16 All-Region Selections, 8 All-American Selections, 3 conference Player of the Year Awards, 2 Golden Gloves, 2 Regional Player of the Year Awards, and 1 Regional Pitcher of the Year Award.  As a head coach: It's tough to imagine a better possible start for the Argonauts during McLean's first year as head coach in 2019, as she led the team to a Gulf South Conference Championship, a South Region Title, and a trip to the NCAA Championship in Denver. The team also spent four weeks as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, on the way to earning the 1-seed in the South Region.  Awards flowed in for McLean and UWF, as Rhiannon Sassman, Teala Howard, and Kelsey Sweatt were each named All-Americans. Sassman was also the D2CCA South Region Player of the Year and the GSC Player of the Year, Howard was named the GSC Freshman of the Year, and Sweatt earned D2CCA South Region Pitcher of the Year honors, while McLean was named the GSC Coach of the Year -- her first such award and UWF's sixth.  West Florida finished the 2019 season at 54-11, and the team set the program record for fielding percentage (.977) and improved its record by 16.5 games. West Florida set several high-water marks this year, in many respects having the program's best season in over a decade. The team's 54 wins are the most for the program since 2005, their 1.80 ERA is the best since 2006, and their 5.6 runs per game were the most since 2010. After a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, the 2021 season provided more accolades and excitement for McLean and the Argonauts. With a 33-16 record, McLean lead UWF to its fifth season with 30 or more wins in the last five full years, and the 2021 squad set program records in slugging percentage (.494) and home runs (51). Teala Howard earned All-American status from the NFCA and D2CCA again, while she, Courtney McLellan, Ally Merrill, Jacquelynne Poling, Kelsey Sweatt, and Kara Wilson each picked All-Region honors.  McLean also earned her 100th career win during the 2021 season, on May 1 against Lee. Her 104-36 record through three seasons gives her a .743 career winning percentage -- better than any other current coach in the GSC through their first three seasons at their respective schools. The offense took another step forward in the 2021 season, setting program records in home runs (51) and slugging percentage. McLean and the Argonauts had another 30-win season in 2022, marking the program's sixth in the last six full seasons. Teala Howard was again an All-American and All-South Region selection, while also earning South Region Player of the Year (D2CCA) and GSC Player of the Year honors. Kelsey Sweatt was an all-region and first team All-GSC selection for a third time, while Erin Moon, Madelyn Vasquez, and Montana Young earned All-GSC accolades for the first time in their careers.  The 2022 season saw Howard and Sweatt wrap up their careers in the Blue and Green, along with another impressive offensive season for the Argos. Howard finished her career ranking in the top 10 in program history in batting average, hits, runs, stolen bases, total bases, and triples. Sweatt now ranks in the top 10 in UWF history in strikeouts, K/7, H/7, wins, no-hitters, and innings pitched. The team hit 43 home runs, which is the fourth-most in program history and marks the first time that UWF has had 40+ home runs in consecutive seasons.  UWF made the GSC Tournament for the fourth consecutive season in 2023, adding 13 conference wins to McLean's ledger of 75 total conference wins in 99 games for a winning percentage of .758, the second highest mark of any Gulf South Conference team since 2019. McLean also won the 150th game of her career on April 6th against West Georgia. Hannah Harper became the first Argo since Teala Howard in 2019 to earn a first-team All-GSC and first-team All-South Region nod, as she led the team in batting average, hits, runs and on-base percentage.  Erin Moon continued her upward trajectory as she was a first-team All-GSC selection, becoming the first UWF catcher to earn that honor in 18 seasons. The 2024 season saw the Argos' turn in record-setting performances at the plate, breaking the program's 51 single-season home runs record by nearly 40 home runs, setting the bar at 89. The Argos went on a 21-2 run from March through April, returning to the GSC tournament as the No. 3 seed. They earned a victory over Union, but finished third overall in the conference with a 36-16 record. Pitcher Montana Young earned Second Team All-GSC honors after posting a 19-4 record for the year. Utility Pitcher Hannah Harper earned NFCA South Region Second Team honors as well.  In 2025, McLean and the Argos had their best season since the 2019 national tournament team, entering the GSC tournament as the no. 2 seed and winning the GSC title in a 6-5 thrilling come back victory over No. 1 Auburn Montgomery. They earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, where they earned a win over Mississippi College but weren't able to advance to Super Regionals. Overall, the Argos finished with a 38-17 record.  Junior pitchers Hannah Harper and Haley Guffey earned first and second team honors respectively, with Guffey leading the GSC in record (24-7), shutouts (9), and innings pitched (228.2). Her ERA was 2nd best in the GSC for pitchers with over 220 innings pitched (2.11). Harper also earned GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. Senior Gianna Guerriero had one of the most prolific statistical seasons in UWF history, finishing her two-year career at West Florida with the third-highest career batting average (.435) in program history. She led the GSC in batting average (.442), hits (87), triples (9) and stolen bases (40-43). She was second in runs (58) and sixth in OPS 1.042. She was named an NFCA and D2CCA All-American in addition to All-South Region and All-GSC.  As an assistant coach: In her final three years as an assistant from 2016-18, the UWF pitching staff ranked in the top three in the Gulf South Conference in ERA (2.72), shutouts (32), opponent batting average (.241), strikeouts (822) and wins (119), and Argonaut pitchers earned nine All-GSC or All-South Region awards. In McLean's first season as a full-time assistant coach in 2016, her efforts led the UWF pitching staff to a 2.50 ERA and a .238 batting average against -- a major improvement from the team's 3.57 ERA and .264 batting average in 2015. The staff improved even more on the way to the program's 2017 trip to the NCAA Championships in Salem, Virginia, posting a 2.49 ERA and .231 batting average against while recording a Gulf South Conference-best 15 shutouts. UWF ranked second in the GSC in opponent batting average (.257), third in shutouts (7), and fourth in ERA (3.23) and strikeouts (227) under McLean in 2018, on the way to another 30-win season.  Background: McLean first joined the UWF coaching staff after spending two-years as a pitcher for the Argonauts softball program in 2011 and 2012. She started 39 games for the Argos in the circle and over 30 games in right field being a key utility player for West Florida and was listed as one of the GSC's top newcomers in 2011. Before attending West Florida, McLean played softball at North Central Texas College and McLennan CC during her freshman and sophomore seasons and earned first team all-conference honors while at McLennan. Originally from McKinney, Texas, McLean is the daughter of Kevin McLean and Sandy Ring and earned both her bachelor's degree and masters degree in Physical Education from UWF. UWF Pitching Awards During McLean's Tenure All Americans Kelsey Sweatt, NFCA Third Team All-American (2019) Kelsey Sweatt, D2CCA Honorable Mention All-America (2019) P.O.Y Awards Kelsey Sweatt, D2CCA South Region Pitcher of the Year (2019) All-Region Selections Hannah Harper, D2CCA First Team All-South Region Kelsey Sweatt, D2CCA First Team All-South Region (2019) Kelsey Sweatt, NFCA First Team All-South Region (2019) Becca Taylor, NFCA First Team All-South Region (2017) Kalyn Chapman, NFCA First Team All-South Region (2016) Becca Taylor, D2CCA First Team All-South Region (2017) Hannah Harper, NFCA Second Team All-South Region (2024) Kelsey Sweatt, D2CCA Second Team All-South Region (2022) Kelsey Sweatt, NFCA Second Team All-South Region (2021) Kelsey Sweatt, D2CCA Second Team All-South Region (2021) Kalyn Chapman, D2CCA Second Team All-South Region (2016) Sarah Maloney, D2CCA Second Team All-South Region (2017) All-Conference Selections Hannah Harper, First Team All-GSC (2025) Hannah Harper, First Team All-GSC (2023) Kelsey Sweatt, First Team All-GSC (2022) Kelsey Sweatt, First Team All-GSC (2019) Grace Gilbert, First Team All-GSC (2019) Becca Taylor, First Team All-GSC (2017) Haley Guffey, Second Team All-GSC (2025) Montana Young, Second Team All-GSC (2024) Montana Young, Second Team All-GSC (2022) Kelsey Sweatt, Second Team All-GSC (2021) Kalyn Chapman, Second Team All-GSC (2016) Sarah Maloney, Second Team All-GSC (2018) Milestone Wins #1: February 1, 2019, vs. #5 Saint Leo (Gulf Shores, Ala.) #100: May 1, 2021, vs. Lee (Pensacola, Fla.) #200: February 22, 2025, vs Christian Brothers (Pensacola, Fla.)

7-Time NSISC Swimming Coach of the Year (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) Philip Kraus has established the University of West Florida women’s swimming & diving program as one of the elite NCAA Division II programs in the nation since being named head coach in July 2018. With more than three decades of coaching experience at the country club, club, middle school, high school and collegiate levels, Kraus has guided the Argonauts to consistent championship success, record-setting performances, and national recognition. Under Kraus’ leadership, UWF has captured seven consecutive New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference (NSISC) Championships from 2019-20 through 2025-26. During the 2026 NSISC Championships Kraus was again named NSISC Swimming Coach of the Year marking his 7th consecutive award. Kraus has led the Argonauts to multiple top 12 finishes at the NCAA Division II Championships, including a 6th place finish in 2024 and a 4th place finish in 2026. His teams have produced numerous NCAA All-Americans, All-America honorable mentions, conference champions, school-record performances, and multiple academic accolades while continuing UWF’s tradition of Building Champions for Life. Below is the list of achievements during Kraus’s tenure. Athletic Achievements NCAA National Champions and Division II Record Holders - 3 Agata Naskret – 100 Backstroke (:50.91) & 200 Backstroke (1:52.90) 400 Medley Relay – Agata Naskret, Alena Rozova, Livia Rodrigues & Sofia Kendzior (3:35.21) CSCAA All-American Performances – 198 Total (79 First Team & 119 Second Team/Honorable Mention) Lead the Nation in 2024 with 14 Athletes Receiving Recognition NSISC Champions – 7 Consecutive years Largest Margin of Victory All Time - 407 points in 2023 NSISC Swim Performer of the Year - 4 NSISC Swimmer of the Year - 5 NSISC Individual Swim Event Champions - 58 NSISC Relay Champions - 15 All NSISC Team Awards (1st & 2nd) - 143 University of West Florida Records Varsity - 13 (8 Individual & 5 Relay) Freshman - 13   Academic Achievements NCAA Elite 90 Award Winner - Women’s Swimming - Brooke Dorr Top Academic Swimmer at the 2024 NCAA Championship CSCAA Scholar All-American Team Accolades - 16 continuous semesters (3.65 Average) Minimum 3.5 GPA - 3.81 GPA in the Fall of 2020 led the Nation for DII & Program Record a 3.84  CSCAA Individual Scholar All-Americans Awards - 99 Minimum 3.5 GPA – Compete at NCAA Championships or achieve a NCAA B standard. CSC Academic All-American Awards - 10 CSC Academic All-District Awards - 14 NSISC Scholar All-Conference Awards - 199 Minimum 3.25 GPA   Prior to joining UWF, Kraus built a nationally respected reputation as head coach and CEO of the Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club (GPAC), where he developed six swimmers to Senior National Time Standards, 16 to Junior National Time Standards and 29 swimmers to Senior Sectionals Time Standards. Eight GPAC athletes have also been named to USA Swimming's Scholastic All-America Teams, onto the Open Water SES Zone Team and numerous athletes to the SES Zone Team. Additionally, Kraus was selected to coach at USA Swimming's Zone Select Camp in the Spring of 2010 and as the Southeastern Swimming Coach of the Year in 2015.   Before his arrival in Pensacola, he was the Assistant Men's and Women's Swim Coach at the University of South Carolina from 2005-07. During that period, the Gamecocks recorded top 40 finishes at the NCAA Championships for both the men's and women's programs. A total of six Gamecocks earned All-America accolades during that time as well.   From 2001-05 he was an Assistant Coach at Miami University (Ohio). His duties included serving as the recruiting and travel coordinator as well as heading up the sprint group. The RedHawks won the Mid-American Conference Championships in all four seasons he served as an assistant, along with posting an incredible 49-5 (.907) overall dual record and a 32-0 mark against conference foes.   Also during Kraus' tenure, the RedHawks broke 12 school records and achieved nine NCAA "B" cuts. Miami had an individual compete at the 2003 NCAA Division I Championships and another who competed at the 2004 Olympic Trials. In addition, the team did well academically as they were named an Academic All-American team every semester by the College Swim Coaches Association of America. Individually, 14 women's athletes were named to All-Conference teams, seven were named to Academic All-Conference teams, five were named Academic All-Americans and one was a CoSIDA Academic All-District IV First Team selection.   Kraus spent two years as an assistant coach at Northern Illinois from 1999-2001. Kraus' duties included coordinating recruiting, team workouts, travel, and fundraising. In his time there, the Husky men's and women's teams combined to have a co-MAC Swimmer of the Year and five All-MAC selections, while setting 15 school records. In Kraus' last year in DeKalb, the NIU men posted their second-best record (11-3) in team history.   Kraus has had eight seasons of success as a Division I assistant coach. All together he mentored 19 All-Conference competitors, 17 individual Conference event winners, eight NCAA Qualifiers, three Olympic Trial Qualifiers, five All-Americans, eight Academic All-conference selections and five Academic All-Americans.   From 1997-99, Kraus was the head swimming and diving coach at Lebanon High School. In that time, he tutored five state qualifiers, two academic all-state selections, and three school records were broken under his watch. Kraus also was head swimming coach at Woodland Country Club, which under his tutelage won the Interclub Championship in 1996, the first time the club accomplished the feat in 25 years.   A four-year letter winner at Ball State and was named Academic All-MAC twice as a Cardinal. Kraus graduated in 1997 with a degree in Secondary Education and I minor in Teaching/Coaching Aquatics.   Kraus and his wife, Anne, live in Pensacola with their son Kouper.

Taylor Baynes rejoined the UWF staff as the assistant coach in the summer of 2022, after spending a season with the staff at Samford University.  In his first season back with the Argos, Baynes helped guide the squad to their seventh straight GSC Tournament appearance.  He also aided in the breakout season of freshman, Hannah Harper, who was named to the All-GSC First Team, as well the NFCA and D2CCA All-South Region First Team squads.  Erin Moon continued her prominent trajectory under Baynes as well as the catcher was the first at that position to be named first-team all-conference for UWF in 18 seasons, while also being named second-team all-south region by the NFCA. At Samford, Baynes helped guide the Bulldogs to an overall record of 34-19, making it the first winning season since 2016. Samford posted a .265 team batting average, ranking third in the Southern Conference, and a .379 slugging percentage. The Bulldogs also captured a .338 on base percentage while recording 210 runs, 382 hits, 61 doubles, 30 home runs, and 180 RBIs during their standout 2022 season.  Baynes originally joined the UWF coaching staff in the fall of 2016, working alongside outfielders and infielders through the spring of 2021. Baynes was a part of the NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year in both 2017 and 2019, and the 2019 team he worked with set the program record for fielding percentage (.977).  His primary duties off the field included: recruiting and developing student-athlete progress, assisting in compliance, and the breakdown and editing of film. He was also a student assistant for the Argonaut softball program from 2016-2020 where he was involved with on-field coaching, skill development, and specialization of infield player development. Baynes was also involved in operations, managing field work, facilities, gear, and equipment.   Prior to his time as a student assistant, Taylor Baynes worked as a softball camp instructor for the University of West Florida, training and motivating potential student-athletes in the mechanics of softball. Baynes was also the point person for the planning, coordinating, and implementation of hitting and defensive lessons for the camps.   Baynes graduated from UWF in 2020 with an undergraduate degree in Fitness and Sports Coaching. He also attended Jefferson Davis Community College from 2013-2015 where he competed on the baseball team as a shortstop and on the mound as a pitcher. Before his time in college, Baynes attended Gulf Breeze High School where he was a standout student-athlete, lettering in baseball, soccer, and football.