{{Short description|American softball coach and player}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Morgan Zerkle | image = | current_title = Head coach | current_team = Marshall | current_conference = Sun Belt | current_record = {{winpct|94|70|record=y}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|08|12}} | birth_place = Milton, West Virginia, U.S. | player_years1 = 2014–2017 | player_team1 = Marshall | player_positions = Outfield | overall_record = {{winpct|94|70|record=y}} | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | awards = | coaching_records = | coach_years1 = 2018–2019 | coach_team1 = Indiana (GA) | coach_years2 = 2020–2023 | coach_team2 = Miami (OH) (assistant) | coach_years3 = 2024–present | coach_team3 = Marshall }}
'''Morgan Zerkle''' (born August 12, 1995) is an American professional softball player and collegiate coach, who plays for the Chicago Bandits of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) and serving as the head coach of Marshall University Thundering Herd softball team.
==Early life and education== Zerkle was born in Milton, West Virginia and attended Cabell Midland High School<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-01 |title=Morgan Zerkle - Softball {{!}} Team USA |url=https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/morgan-zerkle |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=www.teamusa.com |language=en}}</ref> before accepting her only collegiate scholarship offer from Marshall University.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-05-09 |title=Morgan Zerkle's Journey from Small Town Underdog to Softball Pro |url=https://www.on3.com/softball/news/morgan-zerkles-journey-from-small-town-underdog-to-softball-pro/ |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=Softball America |language=en}}</ref> She went on to earn a degree in exercise science and later completed a master’s degree in kinesiology at the university.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Morgan Zerkle - Bandits |url=https://theausl.com/players/morgan-zerkle/ |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=Athletes Unlimited Softball League |language=en}}</ref>
==Career== === College === Zerkle played four seasons at Marshall University, under head coach Shonda Stanton. She finishing her career as the all-time leader in batting average (.451), triples (14), and stolen bases (162).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morgan Zerkle - Softball |url=https://herdzone.com/sports/softball/roster/morgan-zerkle/3119 |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=Marshall University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
In her senior season (2017), she hit .476 with nine home runs, 43 RBIs, 39 stolen bases, and 48 runs scored. She was named Conference USA Player of the Year and Conference USA Female Student-Athlete of the Year (all sports),<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2017-07-01 |title=Zerkle named top female C-USA athlete |url=https://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/marshall_sports/zerkle-named-top-female-c-usa-athlete/article_89bfe8b3-adcf-54e6-899a-0de06f18f0fa.html |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=The Herald-Dispatch |language=en}}</ref> and received NFCA All-America Second Team honors. She was also a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and twice a finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-15 |title=Zerkle selected as finalist for USA Player of the Year - The Parthenon |url=https://marshallparthenon.com/9758/sports/zerkle-selected-as-finalist-for-usa-player-of-the-year/ |access-date=2026-05-11}}</ref>
A four-time All-Conference USA selection and three-time NFCA All-Region honoree,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morgan Zerkle |url=https://www.usasoftball.com/roster/morgan-zerkle/ |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=USA Softball |language=en-US}}</ref> Zerkle ranked second in the nation in batting average in both her sophomore and senior seasons. As a sophomore she won the NFCA Golden Shoe Award for the most stolen bases in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Golden Shoe Awards {{!}} National Fastpitch Coaches Association |url=https://nfca.org/awards/golden-shoe-award-winners |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=NFCA |language=en-gb}}</ref>
=== Professional === Zerkle was selected 26th overall in the 2017 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Draft by the Scrap Yard Dawgs. She later joined the Athletes Unlimited pro league when it launched in 2020, competing with the Chicago Bandits.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morgan Zerkle - Softball Coach |url=https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/softball/roster/coaches/morgan-zerkle/647 |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=Miami University RedHawks |language=en}}</ref> She became the first player in Athletes Unlimited Softball League history to reach 10,000 career leaderboard points, and the first to appear in 100 career games.<ref name=":0" />
In the inaugural AUSL season (2024), Zerkle posted the first hit in league history, a first-inning double, and hit the first inside-the-park home run in league history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burkhardt |first=Molly |date=June 7, 2025 |title=Top moments in AUSL openers: legendary 1st pitches, 1st HR, sold-out crowds and more |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ausl-opening-day-2025-top-moments |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> She finished as a top-five player in batting average and led the league in home runs with nine. She remains an active player and is protected by the Bandits for the 2026 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roster - AUSL Bandits |url=https://theausl.com/bandits/roster/ |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=AUSL |language=en}}</ref>
=== National Team === Zerkle competed in the 2016 and 2017 World Cups of Softball and the 2017 Japan Cup, earning silver medals in both 2017 events.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zerkle Selected to the Women's National Elite Team |url=https://herdzone.com/news/2016/1/8/Zerkle_Selected_to_the_Women_amp_8217_s_National_Elite_Team |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=Marshall University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> In the 2022 Pan American Championship, she hit .562 with four RBIs and eight runs scored, helping Team USA win the gold medal. She also participated in the 2025–26 USA Down Under Series against Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=STOWERS |first=SHANNON |date=2023-06-26 |title=Former Marshall softball star Morgan Zerkle named program's new head coach |url=https://wchstv.com/sports/top-sports/morgan-zerkle-marshall-softball-team-usa-miami-ohio-college-student-athlete-national-pro-fastpitch-pan-american-championship-athletes-unlimited-huntington-cabell-county |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=WCHS |language=en}}</ref>
=== Coaching === After her playing career at Marshall, Zerkle moved into coaching. She served as a graduate assistant at Indiana University (2018–2019) before joining the Miami RedHawks softball as an assistant coach (2020–2023).<ref>{{Cite web |title=IU Softball to Host Walk-On Tryout Meeting |url=https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2018/8/17/iu-softball-to-host-walk-on-tryout-meeting |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=Indiana University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> During her four seasons in Oxford, the RedHawks went 137–55–1, won three consecutive MAC championships, and made three NCAA Softball tournament appearances.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hannahs |first=Alyssa |date=2023-06-26 |title=Marshall University softball head coach chosen |url=https://www.wsaz.com/2023/06/26/marshall-university-softball-head-coach-chosen/ |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=WSAZ |language=en}}</ref>
On June 26, 2023, Zerkle was named the fifth head coach in Marshall Thundering Herd softball history. In her second season, the Herd finished second in the Sun Belt Conference with a 15–9 league record, a five-win improvement over the prior year. In her third season she led the Herd to their third NCAA Softball tournament appearance in program history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marshall Softball Earns Bid to 2026 NCAA Tournament; Heads to Durham Regional |url=https://herdzone.com/news/2026/5/10/marshall-softball-earns-at-large-bid-to-2026-ncaa-tournament-heads-to-durham-regional |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=Marshall University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
==Head coaching record== {{CBB yearly record start | type =coach | conference = | postseason= }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |name=Marshall Thundering Herd |startyear=2024 |conference=Sun Belt Conference |endyear= }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2024 | name = Marshall | overall = 25–28 | conference = 10–14 | confstanding = T–9th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2025 | name = Marshall | overall = 31–23 | conference = 15–9 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2026 | name = Marshall | overall = 38–19 | conference = 17–7 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB yearly record subtotal | name = Marshall | overall = {{winpct|94|70|record=y}} | confrecord = {{winpct|42|30|record=y}} }} {{CBB yearly record end | overall = {{winpct|94|70|record=y}} }}
==See also== * NCAA Division I softball career .400 batting average list
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Sun Belt Conference softball coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zerkle, Morgan}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:American softball coaches Category:American softball players Category:American female sports coaches Category:Chicago Bandits players Category:Indiana Hoosiers softball coaches Category:Marshall Thundering Herd athletes Category:Marshall Thundering Herd softball coaches Category:Miami RedHawks softball coaches Category:Scrap Yard Dawgs players Category:People from Milton, West Virginia