Hannah Dow enters her sixth season as the pitching coach for the McKendree University softball program in 2027 after joining the Bearcats in the fall of 2021.
Dow helped McKendree put together a historic 2026 campaign, as the Bearcats captured regional and super regional championships and finished as the NCAA Division II National Runners-Up. McKendree set a program record with 51 victories during the season.
Before arriving at McKendree, Dow gained coaching experience at the collegiate and high school levels. She began her coaching career with one season as a volunteer pitching coach at Appalachian State University before serving as the pitching coach at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida. In 2017, she returned to her hometown of Mattoon, Illinois, to lead the softball programs at Mattoon Middle School and Mattoon High School.
A standout collegiate player, Dow helped Heartland Community College finish third at the 2008 NJCAA National Tournament before leading the program to a national championship in 2009. She earned National Tournament MVP honors during the championship run and received both NFCA and Easton NJCAA All-American recognition that season.
Dow continued her playing career at Appalachian State, where she made her mark on the program’s record book in just two seasons. Her performances placed her among the Mountaineers’ leaders in ERA, wins, starts and complete games.
A graduate of Mattoon High School, Dow resides in Belleville, Illinois, and teaches special education at Grant Middle School.
