Chris Kuhlmeyer Names 2024 Staff for UMBC

The following release information was issued by UMBC and information and photo courtesy of UMBC…

BALTIMORE – UMBC softball head coach Chris Kuhlmeyer announced his 2024 coaching staff, which consists of Samantha Frey, Aaron Robinson and Retriever great Maddie Daigneau as assistant coaches.

Frey comes to the Hilltop after a successful stint at North Carolina A&T.

“I couldn’t be more excited to have Sam join our coaching staff here at UMBC,” said Kuhlmeyer. “After several conversations with her this past summer, I came away very impressed everytime not only with her knowledge and detailed organization, but just her passion she has to coach pitchers and taking them to another level.  I feel very fortunate to have someone of her passion, expertise, and overall knowledge of the game being around our Dawgs every single day.  This is the right hire at the right time to continue to help keep our program at the top of the America East.”

Before accepting the N.C. A&T position, Frey worked as a softball instructor for the 7 Deadly Spins Fastpitch since the start of 2020. In addition, she coached private and semi-private lessons with softball players from 8 to college-age players.

She also served as an assistant coach for Northampton Middle School for two seasons. During her time with Northampton, she called pitches, coached first base, and helped the infielders with drills. From 2016-19 for the Lehigh Valley Patriot Flames 18U, Frey worked as an assistant coach, where she coached first base and helped with the pitchers.

She pitched for the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown from 2017-18. Frey graduated with a psychology degree in 2019.

Robinson comes to UMBC after spending the previous season as the associate head coach/recruiting coordinator at Notre Dame of Maryland University.

“I am also excited to have Aaron join our program and coaching staff,” said Kuhlmeyer. “He came highly recommended from a few coaches I know here in the region, and after sitting down and getting a chance to talk ball and his journey, there was no doubt he would be a good fit for our program.  He is someone that loves to coach and loves to learn, and felt this was the right time and right opportunity for him.  Aaron will mostly work with our outfielders but will assist in all areas of the game.”

At NDMU he recruited the program’s largest class ever, helped lead the Gators to its most wins in a single season (16 total wins – 14 wins – Division III). Helped develop five players to finish in the top 20 for batting average (2 in the top 10), All NDMU Pitchers finished in top 10 in ERA, and they had five All-CSAC Conference selections. Under his tutelage,  the team batting average increased from .236 (2020), .306 (2022), .311 (2023), increased OPS .568 (2021), .722 (2022), .786 (2023), increased runs, hits, homeruns, runs batted in, stolen bases and total bases significantly from previous programs seasons to 2023.

He was previously a local high school softball and club coach as well.

UMBC’s all-time leader in triples, Daigneau (’21) returns to the program she helped lead to the first two of its four-consecutive America East titles.

“Having Maddie back in a new role in our program is one of the more exciting things that has happened since I got here back in 2018,” said Kuhlmeyer. “Maddie is one of the best players in Retriever Softball history, and one of the best shortstops I ever had the privilege to coach.  She will be in charge of our infield and slappers, as well as helping out with other aspects of the program.”

In her final season in the black and gold (2021), Daigneau ed the team in average (.353), hits (42), runs (32). stolen bases (18) and triples (4), was named to the America East All-Championship Team and was one of the hardest in the nation to strikeout, only striking out five times in 119 at-bats, and just once in her final 27 games. She ended her career tenth in program history in hits (209), eighth in runs (129) and fourth in stolen bases (67).

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