Whitney Jones, who has competed in the Women’s College World Series as both a student-athlete and a coach, was named the sixth head coach in App State softball history on May 22, 2024. She enters her third season at the helm of the Mountaineer softball program in 2027.
App State continued to reach new heights in 2026 under Jones' guidance, as it won 29 games - its most since 2022 - and finished with a winning percentage better than .500 for the first time since that same season. The Mountaineers tallied a .580 win percentage in 2026, which marked their highest since recording a .586 win percentage in 2021. App State started the season 8-0, which marked its best start in program history, while also winning 20 of its first 25 games.
Jones posted her 50th career win against James Madison on April 19 with a five-run comeback victory in Boone to secure the series victory. It made her the fastest App State head coach to reach 50 wins in program history, doing so in just 94 games.
Jones' squad not only posted their best start in program history in 2026, but it also posted two separate winning streaks of seven or more games for the first time in program history. App State fell one game short of its longest win streak in program history to open the season, before tallying a seven-game win streak from March 6-13. Both win streaks stand in the top five in program history for longest win streak. Because of this, the Mountaineers were jumped into the D1 Softball Mid-Major Top 25 for the first time on Feb. 16 and remained in the poll for five straight weeks.
The Mountaineers' offense was one of the best in both the Sun Belt and the nation in 2026, as they set their program records in both home runs (77), runs scored (349), slugging percentage (.536), batting average (.305) and on-base percentage (.404). App State scored 50 more runs than any other team in the Sun Belt Conference in Jones' second season at the helm, while also posting top-five rankings in RBIs (first), slugging percentage (first), on-base percentage (first), batting average (third), home runs (third), total bases (fourth) and walks (third).
App State also saw several individual records drop in Jones' second season, as Makayla McClain broke the single-season home run record on April 2 against Marshall before surpassing her own single-season runs scored record on April 7 against Gardner-Webb. McClain finished in the top five in the Sun Belt Conference in all three triple crown categories, posting the third-highest batting average (.391), the third-most home runs (18) and the fifth-most RBIs (46). McClain was also recognized nationally as one of the best second basemen in Softball America's monthly position power rankings for three consecutive months, reaching as high as No. 5 in the April rankings for second basemen.
Both McClain and Grace Barrett each took home All-Sun Belt honors for the second consecutive season, with McClain earning first-team honors and Barrett garnering second-team recognition. McClain became the second player (Kayt Houston in 2022 and 2024) to receive first-team All-Sun Belt honors twice in their Sun Belt career. Additionally, the middle infield duo each were named to the NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team on May 14, marking the first time that two players have received All-Region honors in the same season. McClain All-Region nod made her the first two-time All-Region player in program history.
In her first season as a collegiate head coach, Jones helped App State to 23 wins, 13 of which came in Sun Belt Conference play, and a berth in the Sun Belt Tournament for the first time since 2022. App State's 13 league wins in 2025 tied the Sun Belt record for wins in a season, a mark only reached by the 2019 team. Additionally, the Mountaineers' 13-11 record in Sun Belt play marked the second time since the Mountaineers joined the Sun Belt in 2015 that they have posted a winning record against league opponents.
App State earned the sixth seed in the 2025 Sun Belt Tournament under Jones, the second-highest seed App State has earned in the tournament. This helped App State to a bye to the quarterfinals of the tournament, which was the Mountaineers' first trip to the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals since 2021.
Known for her proclivity in the college softball world as a hitting coach, App State's offense was explosive in Year 1 under Jones, finishing with top-five conference marks in doubles, doubles per game, home runs, home runs per game, RBIs, RBIs per game, runs scored, runs per game, slugging percentage triples per game and walks. The Mountaineers set program records in four different single-season offensive categories in 2025 and finished in the top five in three other categories.
Under Jones, App State became one of the best slugging teams in the Sun Belt Conference as the team finished in the top five in the league in home runs (58 - fourth and program record), doubles (74 - fifth and program record) and slugging percentage (.480 - fourth and program record). Coming into the 2025 season, Jones had helped lead UCF and Ohio State to top-five league marks in both homers per game and slugging percentage three seasons in a row. That number moved to four seasons in a row in 2025.
Jones' recruiting prowess proved massive to the overall improvement of the 2025 App State team as two of App State's three collegiate transfers (Makayla McClain and Sophie Moshos) were named All-Sun Belt Conference. McClain posted one of the best seasons in program history in 2025 as she batted .381 with 14 homers (third-most in a season in program history), 50 RBIs (second-most in a season in program history), 10 doubles, three triples, 27 walks and a .744 slugging percentage (fourth-highest in a season in program history), helping lead to a first-team All-Sun Belt nod. Moshos was named second-team All-Sun Belt in 2025, marking the second App State pitcher to be named All-Sun Belt since 2015. Moshos shined in the circle with 16 wins (second-most in a season in program history) and 118 strikeouts (sixth-most in a season in program history).
Overall, App State saw three players garner all-conference recognition (Grace Barrett, McClain and Moshos), four Sun Belt Player of the Weeks (McClain (three times) and Moshos) and one NFCA Co-Player of the Week, the program's first ever National Player of the Week honoree (McClain). App State's two first-team All-Sun Belt selections (Barrett and McClain) marked the first time since 2014 and the first time in the Sun Belt era that the Mountaineers have seen two players receive first-team distinction. Additionally, App State's four Sun Belt Player of the Week honors marked the most in a season in program history.
Prior to joining App State, Jones spent two years (2023-24) at Ohio State University where she was promoted to associate head coach in 2024. In her first year with the Buckeyes in 2023, Jones helped guide Ohio State to stellar offensive numbers, including top three rankings in the Big 10 in batting average (third), slugging percentage (third), on-base percentage (third) and runs scored (third). In 2024, the Buckeyes hit 65 homers, the second-most in the league as of May 21, and posted a .497 slugging percentage.
Before Ohio State, Jones was an instrumental member of a UCF staff that was heralded by the National fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) as the Mideast Region’s Coaching Staff of the Year in 2022. Her work with the offense helped the Knights post a 49-14 record, which garnered the No. 16 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, leading to UCF’s first-ever Super Regional appearance.
At UCF, Jones guided the team to top-50 national marks in batting average, runs per game, doubles and on-base percentage. She was also key in the development of Jada Cody, who became one of the best hitters in the country in 2022 when she posted a .361 batting average and drove in 75 runs, the fourth-most in the nation.
Jones got her coaching career started at her alma mater, Washington, serving as a volunteer assistant coach for four years. She worked primarily with the outfielders during her stint with the Huskies, which had four all-region selections and five All-Pac-12 honorees in her tenure.
Her proclivity as a hitting coach served her well at Washington as the Husky outfielders hit over .300 every year she was in Seattle. Her teams made the Super Regionals three times and the Women’s College World Series twice.
She has been a part of 337 wins in her coaching career, including back-to-back 50-win campaigns in her first two years at Washington.
While this is Jones’ first collegiate head-coaching gig, she enjoyed a successful season as Garfield High School’s head coach in 2017 when her squad posted a 19-8 record and made the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association state championship game. Jones was named the 3A Metro Coach of the Year.
Jones was a four-year letterwinner at Washington from 2011-14 and was a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic performer, while also being named All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2014. Jones’ teams made a Super Regional appearance every year and made the Women’s College World Series in 2013. Her playing career was highlighted by her 2014 season in which she posted a .341 batting average and slugged five homers.
A 2014 graduate of the University of Washington, Jones has two siblings, Justin and Morgan, and is the daughter of Lorraine and Carl Jones. Her father, Carl, played professional baseball from 1986-88 in the Atlanta Braves organization, reaching as far as AAA Richmond.
Jones earned a master’s degree at Tulsa in 2016 as well as her CSCS certification. While at Tulsa, she was a graduate assistant in the athletic performance department and worked with the football, softball, men’s tennis and women’s golf programs.
She is from Upland, Calif., where she helped lead her high school team to a pair of league championships and was a three-time all-league selection.
WHITNEY JONES AT A GLANCE
COACHING CAREER
2024-Present: App State (Head Coach)
2023-2024: Ohio State University (Associate Head Coach)
2022: University of Central Florida (Assistant Coach)
2018-2021: University of Washington (Volunteer Assistant Coach)
2017: Garfield High School (Head Coach)
Jones' Year-By-Year Record
2025-26 - 29-21
2024-25 - 23-27
Overall Record - Two Seasos - 52-48
Overall Record at App State - Two Seasons - 52-48
PLAYING CAREER
2011-14: University of Washington (OF/P)
Alma Mater: Washington, 2014
Hometown: Upland, Calif.
Twitter: @whitjones25
Instagram: @whitjones25
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT COACH JONES
“We are thrilled to welcome Whitney to the App State family,” Gillin said. “Whitney has been a consistent winner throughout her coaching and playing career. She is a great fit to lead our softball program. Her vision aligns with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and a world-class experience. We are very excited for the future of App State Softball.”
- Doug Gillin, App State Director of Athletics
“Coach Whit is one of Husky Softball’s brightest coaching stars. What she brings tactically as a coach will immediately help App State Softball, but what she brings as far as human development will last forever. We are proud to see one of our own leading a program as a head coach. She is more than ready for this opportunity, and the community and student-athletes will love her.”
- Heather Tarr, University of Washington head softball coach
“Whitney has shown a very strong and consistent work ethic over all the years I’ve known and worked with her. She has worked her way up and is more than ready to lead a program. I’m so happy for her and the App State program.”
- JT D'Amico, University of Georgia assistant softball coach
"Whitney Jones is a high-energy motivator and a driven, hard-working leader. She excels in coaching all facets of the game and possesses an elite talent for evaluating potential. Her relentless dedication not only improves programs but also inspires everyone around her to strive for excellence. I’m excited for Coach Whit and App State Softball."
- Cindy Ball-Malone, University of Central Florida head softball coach
