University of Pittsburgh head softball coach Holly Aprile finalized her coaching staff for the 2018 season with the additions of assistant coach Griffin Joiner, as well as volunteer assistant Matthew Alberghini.
Joiner is the granddaughter of Lewisburg natives Glenn Smith and Dixie Shelton Dennis. She is the great-niece of Ann Shelton Bailey of Lewisburg and the great-great-granddaughter of the late legendary Lewisburg High and Western Kentucky basketball star Earle Shelton, who became a coach in the county and is a member of Cougar Alumni Association Hall of Fame.
"Griffin is a proven winner with tremendous passion for the game, but even more importantly, a terrific person that will be an excellent role model for our student athletes," said Aprile. "Her experience at Kentucky as both a student-athlete and coach is invaluable, in addition to her experience working with and competing against some of the most elite players in the game with the Akron Racers. We are extremely excited to welcome her to our staff."
Joiner, a former standout at Kentucky, comes to Pitt after spending the last two years at her alma mater as a graduate assistant coach, while also playing professional softball for the Akron Racers in the National Pro Fastpitch League.
She was drafted 19th overall by the Racers in 2015 upon graduation and immediately made an impact for the Racers. After a solid debut season in which she saw time behind the plate and at first, Joiner was selected to the 2016 All-NPF Team as the top catcher in the league after throwing out a league-best 13 baserunners.
"I would like to thank Coach Aprile and the administration at Pitt for the opportunity to become a part of this successful program and university," said Joiner. "I am excited to get to work with the student-athletes and help them achieve their goals as students, softball players and people."
"I would also like to thank Coach Rachel Lawson and the staff at Kentucky for preparing me for this opportunity."
With the Wildcats, Joiner was a standout during her four-year career, and following graduation, remained with Kentucky as a graduate assistant coach.
As a freshman, she started all 60 games, en route to All-SEC Freshman Team accolades. Following her debut season, Joiner continued to be one of Kentucky's biggest threats. She started every game in her sophomore season, leading the team with a .578 slugging percentage, while finishing the year with a second-best 58 hits. Joiner was named an All-SEC Second Team selection, in addition to an All-SEC Defensive Team honoree.
The awards continued to roll in for Joiner her junior year, after leading the squad to the Women's College World Series in 2014. In addition to being named Preseason All-SEC, she collected SEC All-Defensive Team and Third-Team NFCA All-Southeast Region honors following a successful postseason.
Joiner concluded her career tied for second in school history with 35 career home runs and ranks in the top-10 on Kentucky's career record list in games played, hits, RBI, batting average, slugging percentage, fielding percentage and putouts.
The Hopkinsville native graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and in 2017 with a master's degree in sport leadership. She was also a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll awardee.
Alberghini recently graduated from Coastal Carolina this past May with a bachelor of science in recreation and sport management and a minor in business administration.