Summer Collins named head softball coach at Ohio Northern

By Tim Glon

ADA — Summer Collins has been named head softball coach at Ohio Northern University on July, 19, 2024.

Collins is just the seventh head coach in the 53-year history of the program.

"We are excited to welcome Summer to our university, our Athletics family and the softball program," ONU director of athletics Tom Simmons said. "We feel she has the vision, commitment and dedication to our students to add to our strong tradition we have enjoyed over the years."

She has either played or coached at all levels of collegiate softball with experiences at Divisions I, II, III and NAIA.

"I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Polar Bear family," Collins said. "I am honored to work with a special athletic department that prioritizes community, relationships, and cultivating successful programs. I would also like to thank athletic director Tom Simmons for his faith in me to be the next person to lead the program to new heights. I am looking forward to building on the historic success of the program and leading these young women at ONU to success on and off the field!"

Collins comes to ONU after a one-year stint as an assistant coach in Division I at the University of Nevada in 2024.

She helped giude the Wolfpack to an impressive 40-17 record last season, one of the best in program history.

Collins was also the interim head coach at Hiram in 2023 after serving as an assistant there in 2021 and 2022 and was a student assistant coach at Kentucky Christian in 2020.

As interim head coach at Hiram, she guided the Terriers to a 27-16 record, the North Coach Athletic Conference Tournament title, the NCAA III Cleveland Regional crown and a trip to the NCAA III Super Regionals.

A native of Logan, W.Va., Collins played at NCAA Division I Marshall in 2016, NCAA Division II Indianapolis (Ind.) in 2017 and 2018 and NAIA Kentucky Christian on 2019.

Over her three seasons with the Terriers, Collins helped HC to unprecedented success on and off the field, helping guide the Terriers to back-to-back NCAC Tournament appearances, their first NCAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth since 2011, the third-most wins in program history in 2022 and numerous team and individual records.
 
A 2020 graduate of Kentucky Christian, Collins was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First-Team All-America, a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) First-Team All-American, a Second-Team NAIA All-American and First-Team All-Mid-South Conference after batting .512 with 107 hits, four doubles, eight triples, a home run, 65 runs scored and 45 stolen bases during her senior year in 2019. 

Collins began her collegiate career at Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va. in 2016, earning Conference USA Commissioner Honor Roll honors in her one season with the Thundering Herd. Collins then spent her sophomore and junior seasons at the University of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Ind., before spending her final season at Kentucky Christian. 

Throughout her collegiate career, Collins also spent her summers on the diamond, serving as a hitting/fielding instructor for two years in her hometown of Logan, W.Va. from 2016-17 and in Greenbrier, W. Va. from June - Aug. 2018.

Collins earned her bachelor's degree in university studies from Kentucky Christian in 2020 and her master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Hiram in 2022.