NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Belmont softball assistant coach Emlyn Knerem has been named one of 25 finalists for the D1Softball National Assistant Coach of the Year award, D1Softball announced Wednesday.
D1Softball has presented the National Assistant Coach of the Year award annually since 2024, but this marks the first year the organization has announced a full list of 25 finalists. The D1Softball National Assistant Coach of the Year, along with the Pitching Coach of the Year presented by PitchCom, will be announced Aug. 31.
Knerem helped lead Belmont to another historic season in 2026 as the Bruins captured the program's first Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship and second consecutive MVC Tournament championship. Following the season, the Belmont coaching staff was named the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year.
Serving as Belmont's pitching coach, Knerem played a key role in the development of Maya Johnson, who put together one of the most decorated seasons in program history. Johnson earned NFCA Pitcher of the Year and Softball America Pitcher of the Year honors, was named a First Team All-American and was selected third overall in the AUSL Draft.
About Emlyn Knerem
Belmont University softball head coach Laura Matthews announced the addition of Emlyn Knerem as an assistant coach to the Bruin program on July 1, 2024.
Knerem brought an extensive coaching and playing résumé to Belmont after spending the previous seven seasons as the head coach at Ashland University.
A native of Brunswick, Ohio, Knerem spent five seasons as an assistant coach, including stops at Kent State, West Virginia Wesleyan and Averett. Notably, she was part of the 2017 Kent State softball team that won the Mid-American Conference Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Knerem stands among the most decorated pitchers in NCAA softball history. During her playing career at Ashland, she was a two-time NCAA All-American and four-time Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) All-League selection. She was also named the 2012 GLIAC Pitcher of the Year and 2009 GLIAC Freshman of the Year.
She led the Eagles to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and three NCAA Tournament victories.
Knerem earned her bachelor's degree in sport management with a minor in business administration and coaching from Ashland and her master's degree in coaching from Ohio University.
