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Lisa Navas

Position: Associate Head Coach Experience: First Season

Bringing over 20 years of coaching experience to the table, Lisa Navas joined South Carolina's staff as associate head coach in June of 2012. No stranger to success, Navas links up with fellow former North Carolina assistant and current Gamecock head coach Beverly Smith after the duo spent two years on staff together in Chapel Hill. Navas oversees the Gamecock infielders and catchers while also helping with all aspects of the program.

Most recently, Navas worked with the Carolina Diamonds in the National Pro Fastpitch league, coaching the team in its first year of existence. The league's owners honored Navas as part of the NPF Coaching Staff of the Year after the Diamonds had three of the top four home run hitters in the league. Rachel Folden topped the pro circuit with a 1.137 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), and Diamond pitcher Katie Burkhart ranked third in strikeouts behind former NCAA "K" champs Cat Osterman and Monica Abbott.

For nine seasons, Navas led North Carolina State, starting the program in 2004 and going 296-226 during her tenure. The Wolfpack won the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2006-07). Eight of Navas' student-athletes garnered first-team All-ACC honors with 10 taking National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Southeast Region accolades. For three-consecutive years, a member of the Wolfpack earned one of the league's individual awards, including Navas's ACC Coach of the Year in 2006, and she coached her second league Rookie of the Year in 2012, Renada Davis. In 2007, Navas tutored Abbie Sims to both the ACC Player of the Year and third-team NFCA All-America accolades.

In Navas's two seasons with the Tar Heels working under NFCA Hall-of-Famer Donna Papa, UNC played in the ACC Tournament championship both seasons, including winning its first tourney in 2001. Six players on those two teams achieved All-ACC honors, while Tiffany Tolleson grabbed second-team NFCA All-America status in 2002 under Navas's tutelage. North Carolina set the school home run record in 2002 while Navas oversaw the hitting.

Navas's first head-coaching run came at NCAA Division II member Barry, where she guided the Buccaneers to six regionals, two Sunshine State Conference crowns and a second-place finish in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. In her nine years at the south Florida school, she led Barry to a 335-134-1 (.714) record.

Navas started her coaching career at Missouri under NFCA Hall of Fame head coach Jay Miller. Working as the Tigers' hitting coach, she helped the team to its second NCAA Women's College World Series appearance. Three Tigers earned Academic All-America awards from CoSIDA.

An all-conference shortstop in her own right, Navas played four years at NAIA member Oklahoma City, helping the team to a second-place finish in the 1986 NAIA Tournament. Active in both the NFCA and on NCAA committees, Navas headed the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Committee for two years and led the NFCA All-America Committee for one. She also speaks regularly at coaches clinics and associations throughout the east.

Navas's Employment Timeline
2012-present - Associate head coach, South Carolina
2012 - Head coach, Carolina Diamonds (NPF)
2003-12 - Head coach, North Carolina State
2001-02 - Assistant coach, North Carolina
1992-2000 - Head coach, Barry University (NCAA Division II)
1991 - Assistant coach, Missouri

Navas's Playing Timeline
1983-86 - Oklahoma City University (NAIA)

Navas's Education Timeline
1987, B.S. - Physical education, Oklahoma City
1999, M.A. - Athletic Administration, Barry