Aprile Adds Joiner and Lane to Coaching Staff

University of Louisville head softball coach Holly Aprile has announced that Griffin Joiner and Ashley Lane will join her staff as assistant coaches.

"Griffin and Ashley are not only outstanding coaches, they are both outstanding people who will represent Louisville with enthusiasm, integrity and passion," said Aprile. "I feel very fortunate to have both of them on staff."

Griffin Joiner
Kentucky, 2015, 2017

Joiner comes to Louisville after spending the 2018 season as an assistant coach under Aprile at Pittsburgh. While there, she helped direct the Panthers to the program's first ACC Coastal Division title and advance to the finals of the ACC Championship where they fell to eventual Women's College World Series Champion Florida State.

Joiner helped the Panthers achieve immediate results while working primarily with the pitchers and catchers. Under her guidance, catcher Giorgiana Zeremenko earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Mid-Atlantic Region first team honors while pitcher Kayla Harris was a second team all-region selection. Harris and fellow pitcher Sarah Dawson were named to the ACC All-Tournament team following Pitt's runner-up finished in the ACC Championship. Additionally, Harris posted 16 wins to go along with six shutouts, placing her third on Pitt's single season list. Dawson followed closely with 15 victories.

"A proven winner on and off the field, Griffin brings so much to the table," said Aprile. "From her expertise working with the pitchers and catchers in the bullpen, to pitch calling, to the offensive side of the game as well, Griffin is both highly knowledgeable and passionate about her craft. She will be an excellent role model for our student-athletes and her years of experience as a highly competitive student-athlete as well as her experience in the professional ranks is invaluable."

Prior to her stint at Pittsburgh, Joiner spent two seasons (2016 and 2017) as a graduate manager at her alma mater, the University of Kentucky. With Joiner on the staff, the Wildcats advanced to an NCAA Super Regional in 2017 and finished the season with a 39-19 overall record and ranked No. 17 in the national rankings. In her first season at UK, the team reached the NCAA regional finals and finished the season ranked No. 11/13 nationally after posting a 46-14 overall record and finished second in the SEC with a 17-7 mark in league play.

As a student-athlete, Joiner helped lead the Wildcats to the 2014 Women's College World Series, setting a school record with 69 games played. The catcher was a two-time NFCA All-Region third team selection and was named to the All-SEC Defensive Team three times (2013, 2014, 2015). Joiner garnered All-SEC second team honors in 2013 after she paced the Wildcats with a .578 slugging percentage and stood second in hits (58), home runs (10) and RBI (41).

She finished her career tied for second on the school's all-time list with 35 home runs and ranked among the program's top 10 in career games played, hits, home runs, RBI, batting average, walks, at-bats, slugging percentage, total bases, fielding percentage and putouts.

Joiner continued her playing career professionally when she was selected by the Akron Racers as the 19^th overall pick in the fourth round of 2015 National Pro Fastpitch College Draft. She was selected to the 2016 All-NPF team as a catcher after throwing out a league-best 13 baserunners. In 2017, she was one of eight catchers selected to try out for the USA Softball Women's National Team.

"First, I would like to thank Holly for giving me the opportunity to be a part of her staff and compete for championships with her and with Ashley," said Joiner. "Also, I would like to thank the administration for the opportunity to be a part of the athletic community and winning tradition that has been established in UofL Athletics and in the softball program."

The Hopkinsville, Ky., native graduated from Kentucky in 2015 with bachelor's degree in exercise science and earned a master's degree in sport leadership from UK in 2017.

Ashley Lane
Michigan, 2013
Lane joins Aprile's staff after three seasons at Middle Tennessee State where she served as an assistant coach working with primarily with the offense and infielders from 2016 through 2018.

"Ashley has an outstanding pedigree as an All-American student-athlete at Michigan and as a coach at both Middle Tennessee State and Kentucky," said Aprile. "Her expertise in defensive fundamentals and strategies as well as her offensive mind are a unique combination that will bring a wealth of knowledge to our staff. She has a great rapport with student-athletes and does a terrific job of getting the very best out of everyone she coaches."

In 2018, Lane helped guide the Blue Raiders to the Conference USA Tournament title and Middle Tennessee's first NCAA tournament berth in 18 years. Along with their post season success, the 2018 Blue Raiders finished the season with 39 wins – standing second for the most victories in program history.

"I'm incredibly excited and appreciative for the opportunity Holly is giving me to join her staff and the UofL family," said Lane. "I have so much respect for Holly and I look forward to coaching alongside her and contributing to this program's success. I feel honored to join UofL and compete in the ACC. Louisville is a special place and I can't wait to get to work."

Under Lane's guidance, the 2018 MTSU team sat atop Conference USA standings in batting average, hits, total bases and sacrifice bunts, wins, putouts and assists. The Blue Raiders set school records for single season team batting average and stood second on total bases, RBI, on-base percentage and singles.

During her time in Murfreesboro, Lane helped oversee three NFCA All-Mideast Region selections and seven All-Conference USA team members. Her players also set school records with 2018 senior Precious Birdsong owning the all-time marks for runs scored, hits, singles, triples and stolen bases and Morgan Harris finishing her career as MTSU's all-time RBI leader.

Prior to her stint at Middle Tennessee, Lane spent the 2015 season as a volunteer assistant hitting coach at the University of Kentucky, and she helped the Wildcats advance to the Gainesville Super Regional.

Before entering the college coaching ranks, Lane served as an assistant coach at Brighton High School in Brighton, Mich.

Lane played for the University of Michigan from 2010-13 where she was a three-year starter and helped the Wolverines to four-straight Big Ten titles and a Women's College World Series appearance in 2013. The two-time NFCA All-America selection (2011, 2013) posted a .316 career batting average, including a .363 mark during her senior season when she belted out a two-run double and game-winning home run to send the Wolverines to the 2013 WCWS. After leading her team in home runs in 2011 and 2012, Lane finished her career ranked fifth on Michigan's all-time list with 47 career homers and stands third with five grand slams. She is currently ranked among the Wolverines' top 10 in career slugging percentage and RBI.

In addition to her all-America honors, the standout second baseman was a two-time NFCA Great Lakes All-Region (2011, 2013) and All-Big Ten selection (2012, 2013). She was also named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List in 2012 and attended the USA Softball Women's National Team selection camp in 2011.

A native of Escondido, Calif., Lane earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Michigan in 2013.

University of Louisville Athletics

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