|
Donna J. Papa Softball Camps
Coaching Staff
Boo Gillette joined the Tar Heel coaching staff Aug. 27, 2010, and is in her third season with the North Carolina softball program. Head coach Donna Papa promoted Gillette to assistant head coach on Aug. 30, 2012. Gillette coordinates the team's recruiting efforts and serves as the bullpen and base-running coach. Gillette, a three-time All-Big Ten catcher at Wisconsin, came to UNC after serving as assistant coach for Purdue University from 2007-10. Working with the pitchers and catchers, Gillette coached five Big Ten players of the week, nine All-Big Ten conference team members and five TPS/Louisville Slugger All-Mideast Region players. Overseeing the team's academics, the Boilermakers garnered 22 academic All-Big Ten honors, three academic all-district V first team honors and two Big Ten Distinguished honors. On the field, Gillette and the Boilermaker staff led Purdue to their first ever NCAA Regional berth and first ever regional win en route to be named the NFCA Mideast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year in 2008. The Boilermakers reached their first ever NCAA Regional Championship game in 2009. In 2010, Purdue lead the nation in stolen bases per game (2.67) while setting a new single season record for strikeouts (216) and stolen bases (140). The Boilermakers' pitching staff registered the program's fifth best ERA (2.34) en route to defeating five top-25 opponents in 2009. Prior to her stint at Purdue, Gillette served as the head coach of Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wis., from 2006-07. The team posted a Region XIIIA runner-up finish with two pitchers ranking in the top 25 nationally in strikeouts. Gillette coached two All-America and four All-Region nominees. Gillette also had a coaching stint at Edgewood College, a Division III school in Madison, Wis., while completing her undergraduate degree at Wisconsin. A 2006 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Gillette was the starting catcher for the Badgers for four seasons. A three-time team captain and three-time All-Big Ten catcher under head coach Karen Gallagher, Gillette was recruited as a catcher/pitcher/utility player and started in every game of her college career. In addition to earning third-team All-Big Ten honors each of her final three seasons, she was named UW's Most Defensive Player in 2002, after registering 331 putouts, third-best in the Badger record books. In 2004, she was named the team's Most Offensive Player and MVP, when she set single-season records for doubles (14), RBI (34), fielding percentage (.996), and a single-game RBIs (6). As a senior in 2005, Gillette garnered several honors: Tulsa Invitational Tournament Team, Big Ten Player of the Week, Team MVP and a Badger Female Athlete of the Year nomination. She ranked among the Badger career top-10 in 14 different categories, including home runs (20) entering the 2007 season.
Off the field, Gillette was chosen by the NCAA to represent Wisconsin at the NCAA Leadership Conference in 2003. A four-year member of Wisconsin's Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Gillette was the UW S.A.A.C. President, Big Ten S.A.A.C. Representative, and the UW Athletic Board Representative in her final two seasons. Gillette was named a Coca-Cola Community All-American nominee, earned the UW Community All-American award and was honored as the Big Ten Conference's Sportsmanship Award winner in 2005. During the 2005-06 school year, Gillette worked with the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program at the University of Wisconsin. In the position, she helped organize the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, aided in career planning and academic success for UW student athletes and assisted the CHAMPS coordinator in planning community service events. A 2001 graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Gillette was a captain for the Raiders softball and volleyball teams and was voted St. Thomas Aquinas' most athletic female. The 2001 Florida Softball Player of the Year played club softball for the Clearwater Lady Bombers Gold and the Florida Lady Gators Gold. A four-time Florida state champion, six-time national champion, one time world champion, Gillette garners several NSA, ASA and USSSA individual honors. Born September 13, 1982, Gillette is the daughter of Mike and Nancy Gillette. The youngest of five children, Gillette was raised in Southwest Ranches, Fla. Her family now resides in Illinois. In 2010, Gillette completed her master's degree in educational administration from Purdue and was named a NFCC Two Star Master Coach. Gillette is currently the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Assistant Coach representative.
Head coach Donna Papa announced the hiring of Tony Baldwin as assistant coach for Carolina softball on Aug. 22, 2012. Baldwin joins the Tar Heels after spendingthe last two years at the University of Georgia, where he served as the volunteer assistant coach. Baldwin's primary responsibilities at UNC will include developing the team's hitters and infielders, Papa said. "I am pleased to announce the hiring of Tony Baldwin as our new assistant," Papa said. "Tony brings a wealth of knowledge with a background in collegiate softball as well as collegiate baseball. He has worked with one of the top programs in college softball at Georgia and knows the game very well. "Tony brings great energy and enthusiasm as well as tremendous passion for the game. We welcome him and his family to our Tar Heel Softball family, and we are thrilled to have him on our staff." Prior to coaching at Georgia, Baldwin was an assistant coach for the Michigan State baseball team from 2005-08, serving as the interim head coach during the team's coaching transition. At Michigan State Baldwin served as the recruiting coordinator, and was the infielders coach, assistant hitting coach and third base coach during his stint there as well. Baldwin's first recruiting class at Michigan State matriculated a freshman All-America, a 30th round draft pick and a 46th round draft pick. His second recruiting class was ranked the top recruiting class in the Big Ten and was ranked top-50 in the country by Baseball America. His third recruiting clas also produced a freshman All-America and became the class with the most wins in school history. Baldwin was the assistant head baseball coach from 2003-05 after serving as the assistant coach from 1999-2003 at Dartmouth College, where he was the recruiting coordinator, travel manager, eligibility coordinator and worked with fundraising and alumni relations. At Dartmouth he was the hitting and fielders coach, coordinated team defense, and was the third base coach, helping the team to Dartmouth's first Red Rolfe Division Titles in 2000, 2001 and 2004. He also was the assistant coach at Butler University from 1994-99, and was the head coach of the Decatur Blues, of the Central Illinois Collegiate League, in 1999. At Butler, Baldwin was the hitting coach, infielders' and catchers' coach, and coordinated team defense. He helped lead the team to three MCC titles (1996, 1998 and 1999), which were the first in the history of the program. In addition to coaching, Baldwin has also served as the operations director at Camp Weequahic since 2009. Baldwin and his wife Suzanne have three children, Ella, Abby and Brady.
North Carolina head softball coach Donna Papa announced the addition of Suzanne Tadlock as volunteer assistant coach Friday, Sept. 7. Tadlock joins the Tar Heels after coaching high school softball at Leesville Road for 15 years, as well as serving as the Carolina Summer Softball Camps Director for the past two years. "I am very excited to welcome Suzanne Tadlock, head softball coach at Leesville Road High School as a volunteer assistant to our staff," Papa said. "Suzanne has been the varsity head coach at Leesville Rd for the last 15 years and has led the Pride to five consecutive NC state playoff appearances. "Suzanne brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. Most recently, she was responsible for establishing a leadership program for the Leesville softball team. Additionally, she has worked with the NCAA YES softball clinics at the DI, II, III levels as a field director and clinician. Suzanne will assist with the infield and hitters as well as our team building," Papa said. In addition to Tadlock's coaching duties at Leesville Road, she is a physical eduction teacher as well as the department chair. Before coming to Leesville Road, she was the physical education director and athletics director for the Raleigh, N.C., chapter of the Boys and Girls Club of America. Tadlock has also helped with numerous NCAA and NYSC softball clinics throughout her career and has assisted with UNC softball camps since 2007. Tadlock is a graduate of UNC-Greensboro (1990), where she played softball for the Spartans. She received her teaching certificate in 1999 from East Carolina University.
Catherine Mitchell will serve as the University of North Carolina softball's new director of operations, head coach Donna J. Papa announced September 27, 2010. Mitchell, who served as head softball manager for the last three seasons, will be entering her fourth year with Carolina softball. Mitchell, a native of Pilot Mountain, N.C., is a 2010 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earning a bachelor's degree in political science and sports administration. Mitchell is currently in her first year of UNC's Law School. "I am excited to announce that Catherine will be working with us again this year," said head coach Donna J. Papa. "She brings a great amount of knowledge and stability to our program. Catherine has been a big part of our success over the last few years." The Pilot Mountain, N.C., natives main duties will include travel planning, overseeing UNC's camps and clinics, organizing the Home Run Club (Carolina's main fundraiser) and equipment distribution. In addition, Mitchell will over see the Tar Heels' two new undergraduate managers. "It is a little different now being in grad school and in a new position," said Mitchell. "It is more behind the scenes now than the past three years. I am looking forward in helping our new managers getting oriented in how things work." In her new role, Mitchell is one of the longest tenured staff members at Carolina. The Tar Heels welcome two new assistant coaches into the program this season in Boo Gillette and Kirin Kumar. "I think is was perfect timing because I am transitioning into a new position and so our the new assistants," Mitchell exclaimed. "It is still the same program and the same team and all of us are getting acclimated together." The Pilot Mountain product enjoys working with Carolina softball and is excited to continue as she furthers her education. "Working with the softball program was one of the best experiences I had as an undergrad," said Mitchell. "I am just thankful Coach Papa still wanted me to stick around. I chose UNC Law School in part because of this program. I plan to get a joint degree in UNC Law and Sports Administration over the next few years." |
Boo Gillette 
Tony Baldwin
Suzanne Tadlock
Catherine Mitchell