Wofford College announced on May 25, 2022, that Chelsea Butler had been named the head coach of the softball program. Butler brings over a decade of experience, both as a collegiate student-athlete and pitching coach, at the Division I level to Wofford. She enters her third season at the helm of the program in 2026.
After an astonishing first season, Butler’s squad elevated in 2025 with a 30-22 record overall alongside an 11-8 SoCon clip. The campaign marked the first 30-win season in program history with the 11-8 SoCon record the program’s best by winning percentage. Wofford earned the No. 4 seed for the SoCon Tournament, its best seeding yet, as the Terriers hosted the event at Hope Field on the Wofford College campus. The Terrier pitching staff remained one of the best in the conference, leading the SoCon in ERA (2.19), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.75), and WHIP (1.16) with the ERA fifth best in the entire nation. The Terriers also led the conference in double plays turned (32), which ranked sixth nationally, fielding percentage (.973), and stolen bases (84). With 52 sacrifice bunts, Wofford was second in the conference and eighth in the country. At season’s end, Margaret Axelson and Hope Ingle were honored on the All-SoCon First Team as Abby Greenwood secured a spot on the All-SoCon Second Team. The SoCon All-Freshman Team sported the trio of Rivers Sampson, Brianna Stanley, and Natalya Salo. Axelson (1.99) and Greenwood (2.18) ranked second and third, respectively, in the SoCon for ERA with Axelson’s mark the first sub-2.00 ERA in program history. Greenwood sported 107 strikeouts to become the first Terrier to break through the 100-punchout barrier, ranking fourth in the conference. She led the league with a 3.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Wofford offense took a leap forward from year one to year two, as the team batting average elevated from .228 in 2024 to .282 in 2025. The Terriers recorded over 100 more hits, three times as many home runs, 30 more runs, and 34 more stolen bases.
Butler guided the program to an incredible inaugural season in 2024 with a 23-24 overall record and 11-10 Southern Conference mark. The Terriers tied for fourth place in the conference and entered the SoCon Tournament as the No. 5 seed due to tiebreakers. Wofford led the conference with a 2.91 team ERA and a 1.95 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Leading that charge was Margaret Axelson, whose 2.15 ERA topped the league. Butler was tabbed Southern Conference Coach of the Year upon the conclusion of the season for her efforts in guided the program to unprecedented success in its first-ever season. Axelson was named to the All-SoCon First Team. A trio of Terriers – Abby Greenwood, Kaytlin Greenwood and Megan Towery – were honored on the All-SoCon All-Freshman Team. The season saw a plethora of firsts for the program of course, most notably its first game against Eastern Kentucky on February 8, followed by the team’s first win, 3-0, over Robert Morris the following night on February 9. Wofford secured its first SoCon triumph with an 11-8 victory at Mercer on March 24. Though Wofford’s season ended in the SoCon Tournament, the Terriers opened the event with a 5-4 win over ETSU in 10 innings for the program’s first-ever SoCon Tournament win. Wofford also owned a series win over the eventual SoCon champion, Chattanooga, during the regular season.
Butler spent the prior three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland, working with the pitching staff. This past season, Maryland was 29-23 overall and 14-8 in the Big 10. It marked the most wins for the Terps since 2013 and the fifth-place finish was the highest since joining the conference. It was also the first season in which Maryland won a game in the Big Ten tournament. Jaeda McFarland (first team) and Megan Mikami (second team) were named All-Big Ten.
“We are excited to have Chelsea take the helm as we launch our softball team,” said director of athletics Richard Johnson. “It is important to get things right when you are starting a program. Coach Mark Line has done a great job in laying the foundation and now he is turning it over to Chelsea to continue to build the team. We look forward to seeing them take the field in the spring of 2024.”
“I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to build the Wofford softball program,” said Butler. “I want to thank President Nayef Samhat, Athletic Director Richard Johnson, Deputy AD/SWA Elizabeth Rabb and Mark Line for this opportunity and I am incredibly honored by their belief in me. I look forward to not only building this program, but empowering young women to find and be the best version of themselves on the field, in the classroom and in their individual lives. Now and forever, Go Terriers!”
During the 2019 season Butler led the pitching staff and assisted with recruiting at Incarnate Word. She was the associate head coach at Presbyterian College from 2014 to 2018. She was in charge of the pitching staff and designing off-season and in-season workouts, while also serving as the recruiting coordinator. She coached three All-Big South pitchers, 18 NFCA Scholar Athletes, and helped the Blue Hose earn 2015 Big South runner-up honors.
Prior to her time at Presbyterian, Butler spent one season at Temple. While with the Owls, she oversaw the pitching staff and designing off-season and in-season workouts. Additionally, she coordinated several in-game aspects, including pitch calling and charting. Butler also served as the recruiting coordinator and, as the first assistant, handled travel logistics and other duties.
Butler joined Temple after spending the 2013 season at Utah State, where she worked primarily with the pitchers. While with the Aggies, she was also responsible for scouting reports and served as the recruiting coordinator.
Before Utah State, Butler was an assistant coach at her alma mater, Eastern Kentucky, during 2012. While there, she was responsible for the pitchers and recruiting. Her first coaching experience as an assistant coach with the USA Athletics 18 gold team in Southern California.
As a player, Butler played two seasons at Golden West Junior College. As a sophomore there, she posted a 21-13 record with a 1.35 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 231.2 innings of work. She earned first team all-conference recognition and was an all-tournament selection. Butler then was a two-year pitcher (2008-09) for Eastern Kentucky. Her career was highlighted by a standout senior season in which she posted a 2.32 ERA.
A native of southern California, Butler earned a degree in sociology from Eastern Kentucky in 2009. She added a Masters of Arts in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University-Irvine in May 2017.
