(LEBANON, Ill., June 16)—McKendree University director of athletics Chuck Brueggemann has turned to a pair of former University of Missouri standouts to comprise the new coaching staff for the Bearcats' softball program.
 
On Tuesday, Brueggemann announced the hiring of Ashley Fleming as the new head softball coach at McKendree. Brueggemann also added Chelsea Thomas to the Bearcats' staff to serve as Fleming's top assistant and pitching coach. Fleming takes the reins of the McKendree softball team from Evelyn Bean, who stepped down earlier this month as head coach following 18 years with the Bearcats.
 
Both Fleming and Thomas join the McKendree staff from Saint Louis University, where they were assistant coaches for the Billikens in each of the last two seasons.
 
"Today is a great day for the McKendree softball program," said Brueggemann. "After their outstanding playing careers at Missouri, both Ashley and Chelsea have both made an impact in just a few short years as assistant coaches. They have displayed proven success already in the coaching profession, and have continued to learn the game from some of the greatest minds within the sport. Every program they have been associated with – either as players or coaches – have enjoyed success at the highest levels. I have no doubt that Ashley will use her experience and enthusiasm to build our team into one of the top programs in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. She hit the ground running at SLU and her hard work was a big factor in their success over the last few years. In addition, Chelsea has used the knowledge gained from her time in the circle to mentor one of the top pitchers in the Atlantic 10 Conference while continuing to play the game at the professional level. We cannot wait to see the strides that the McKendree softball program will make under the leadership of Ashley and Chelsea."
 
"McKendree is getting a pair of outstanding young coaches in Ashley and Chelsea," said Ehren Earlywine, who coached both Fleming and Thomas at Missouri. "Ashley will make a great head coach. Since I've known her, she has always been a student of the game and loves to teach. She's a stickler for detail and will implement a high-level Division I plan into everything she does at McKendree. Chelsea has all the things you look for in a pitching coach. She has top-level pitching experience and proven results as a Division I pitching coach. Chelsea will pass on the best mechanical instruction available. The combination of Ashley and Chelsea packs a 1-2 punch that could win at any level."
 
Fleming, a native of Silex, Mo., recently completed her second season as an assistant coach at Saint Louis. The Billikens won at least 30 games in each of her seasons with the program, including a school-record 36 victories in 2015. Saint Louis earned the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament each of the past two seasons, posting a runner-up finish a year ago. Fleming began her coaching career with a one-year stint at Central Methodist University in 2013, There, she helped the Eagles to 35 wins and a Heart of America Athletic Conference championship.
 
As a first baseman/outfielder at Missouri, Fleming was a key factor in leading the Tigers to three consecutive Women's College World Series appearances from 2009-11. She was a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) second-team All-America honoree, earning the awards in 2011 and 2012. Fleming collected All-Big 12 accolades in each of her last three seasons along with All-Region honors. In 2010, Fleming was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team. She closed her Missouri playing days ranked in the top 10 of several categories, including batting average (.340), hits (201), doubles (42), home runs (43), runs scored (156), runs batted in (173), slugging percentage (.632) and walks (97). She led the Tigers in batting average in each of her final two seasons, including a .365 clip as a senior in 2012.
 
"I'm extremely excited for this opportunity to lead the McKendree softball program," said Fleming. "First, I want to thank everyone in the McKendree athletics administration who made me feel welcome during my visit to campus. There are so many great things happening at the University as a whole and especially within the athletic department. It is clear that Mr. Brueggemann has a passion for the sport, the department and the University. His vision and drive to build championship programs is contagious. I am excited to help that vision become a reality. I'm proud to become one of the newest members of the Bearcat family and cannot wait to get started. We have an opportunity to build something big here, and we want to do it the right way. It's more than winning on the field. It's also about having good student-athletes within the program who are willing to work hard on the field and in the classroom, and to be productive in the community."
 
Thomas joined the Saint Louis coaching staff for the 2014 season. She served an important role in the development of Billikens' pitcher Brianna Lore, who was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Pitcher of the Year in 2014. Lore also collected first-team All-Conference and second-team All-Region accolades that season.
 
One of the most decorated pitchers in Missouri softball history, Thomas left the Tigers' program as the career leader with 111 victories along with 1,174 strikeouts. In addition, Thomas ranks among the top five all-time at Missouri in career appearances (159), complete games (97), innings pitched (925), shutouts (46) and winning percentage (.782). She tied for the program's single-season wins mark with 32 in 2011, the same year she struck out a school-record 397 batters. Thomas also led the NCAA with a 0.95 earned run average that season.
 
Like Fleming, Thomas was a part of three consecutive Women's College World Series appearances from 2009-11, and was named to the WCWS All-Tournament team following the 2011 trip. In each of her last three seasons, Thomas garnered NFCA first-team All-America honors. She was twice named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year (2011 and 2012) before collecting the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year award as a senior in 2013. Thomas earned All-Conference accolades three times in her career – twice in the Big 12 and once in the SEC. Thomas also excelled in the classroom, grabbing Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors twice in her career. She was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree while receiving SEC Academic Honor Roll mention in 2013.
 
"I'm very thankful to Mr. Brueggemann and the athletics administration at McKendree for this wonderful opportunity," said Thomas. "There is a family atmosphere here that struck me immediately, and I believe this will be a great fit. I am really excited to continue working with Ashley. She has great things planned for the program and I cannot wait to help her implement those ideas. I am also looking forward to share my love for the game of softball with our student-athletes as we all work together toward the goal of creating a championship-caliber program on and off the field."
 
Thomas, who was a two-time Team USA member, is currently in her third season as a member of the USSSA Florida Pride that competes in National Pro Fastpitch (NPF).