University of Minnesota Athletics
Softball
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
Jessica Merchant is in her eighth season as an assistant coach with the Golden Gophers softball program. She has helped guide the Maroon and Gold to a 290-107 record in that span. She served four years at UMass in the same capacity.
In her first year with Minnesota in 2011, Merchant was on staff for an impressive turnaround by the Gophers on the softball field. The team nearly doubled its win total from 2010, finishing the season with a 31-24 overall record and improving its conference mark from two wins in 2010 to nine victories in 2011.
During 2012, the second-year assistant helped guide a youthful squad to another season with more than 30 wins. Merchant assisted in assembling a brand new Gopher infield that highlighted three freshmen and new first baseman in junior Alex Davis. Her coaching helped the squad post a Big Ten-best fielding percentage of .971.
In 2014, Minnesota built on 2013 campaign the saw the squad reach the NCAA Tounrnament for the first time in a decade by besting 30 wins for the fourth-straight season and eclipsing the 40-win plateau for the first time in 15 years, going 44-12. The team went on to defeat Merchant's alma mater, Michigan, in the Big Ten Tournament title game and clinch its first-ever NCAA super regional berth.
The Maroon and Gold again won the B1G Tournament title in 2016 again topping Michigan, this time in a 10-inning extra inning thriller. The Gophers also made a program record fourth straight NCAA Tournament going 43-14 overall on the season.
The 2017 saw the Gophers hit new heights. They went a program best 56-5 overall. They broke a record for longest win streak to start a season with 19 and longest win streak ever with 26 straight. Prior to the 2017 season the Gophers were never ranked in the top-10 in either major polls. They reached No. 1 in the USA Today/NFCA Cnoaches poll and No. 3 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. They won their first regular season Big Te title since 1991 and their third Big Ten tournament championship in four years. Merchant along with head coach Jessica Allister and pitching coach Piper Ritter were named the NFCA Great Lakes Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.
Merchant works primarily with the teams infielders. She helped former Gopher Malisa Barnes earn her third All-Big Ten honor and former Gophers Kaitlyn Richardson and Tyler Walker to three NFCA Great Lakes All-Region teams each. They both also earned three and four all-conference accolades, respectively. Both were named to the All-Big Ten First Team as sophomores in 2013 and as a juniors in 2014 and were all-region honorees in both years. Richardson was became the school's third two-time All-American with a third-team nod in 2013 and a second-team nod in 2014. She was also a top-25 finalist to the NFCA National Player of the Year Award. Again in 2015 Richardson earned All-American honors being named a senior class First-Team All-American.
Merchant also helped Danielle Parlich record a strong freshman season at second base. Parlich was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team fielding a .971 fielding percentage. Parlich was also a top-10 finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year award. In 2016 a trio of infielders in Parlich, Sam Macken and Maddie Houlihan all had strong seasons. Houlihan was named the B1G Freshman of the Year, Macken earned All-B1G honors and NFCA honors and Parlich earned NFCA Great Lakes-All Region honors.
In 2017 Merchant had a new player at each position and coached three All-Big Ten and three All NFCA All-Region honorees. Parlich, Sydney Dwyer and Allie Arnesone each got All-Conference nods while Parlich, Dwyer and freshman MaKenna Partain each received All-Region accolades.
Merchant is also instrumental to the Gophers' success in the classroom, as 61 student-athletes have earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction during the current coaching staff's first seven seasons.
Prior to Minnesota, Merchant helped to guide Massachusetts to a 164-47-2 cumulative record, winning the Atlantic 10 championship and advancing to the NCAA tournament all four years. Prior to joining the UMass staff, Merchant spent one season as a volunteer assistant at her alma mater, the University of Michigan.
A two-time NFCA All-America shortstop, Merchant captained the Wolverines to the 2005 NCAA Championship, the first national title in program history. A native of Wayland, Mich., Merchant finished her collegiate career as the school's career home run leader (49) and is tied for second in school history in home runs in a season (21). Merchant also ranks fourth all-time at Michigan in career starts (252), is sixth in doubles (48), and and is ninth in RBI (155). In 2006, Merchant was a member of the USA Softball Elite Team that won the Intercontinental Cup title. She was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the event after hitting .500 with eight RBI and a home run.
Merchant graduated from Michigan in 2005 with a degree in sport management and communication. She played two seasons with the Connecticut Brakettes of the National Pro Fastpitch League and most recently played with the New England Riptide. She was also invited to the Women's National Team selection camp in 2006.
