By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Coming off a successful 2014 campaign that saw the Tennessee Tech softball team wrap up the season winning 13 of 16, head coach Bonnie Bynum is already looking toward next season by adding a couple of key pieces to her coaching puzzle. The third year head coach has promoted Tiffany Wilkinson to a full-time assistant coach and has added Bailey Dillender as a full-time assistant coach as well.
Wilkinson, a former Chattanooga standout and East Tennessee State graduate assistant coach, will enter her second year with the program after a successful first season in Tech purple and gold that saw her work primarily with the offense. During the hot stretch to close out the year, TTU's offense generated nearly nine runs per game in the club's final 13 wins.
"I cannot say enough about how much our end of the season success came from Tiffany," Tech head coach Bonnie Bynum claimed. "She did an amazing job getting our hitters to buy into her system and really created an atmosphere of trust. She knows how to get the best out of our team."
During her playing career as a Lady Moc, Wilkinson hit 50 career home runs, shattering both the Chattanooga and Southern Conference all-time marks, while also being a three-time NFCA All-South Region and first-team All-So-Con selection. Along with her success on the field, Wilkinson posted a 3.73 grade point average in the classroom en route to being named the 2011 Capital One/COSIDA Academic All-District IV first team.
As far as Dillender is concerned, the Golden Eagle first year assistant comes to Tech after spending the last year as head coach of Southern Force Softball, and the past two years as a graduate assistant coach at Campbellsville University and hitting instructor at Borders Softball Academy.
"I am excited to have Bailey join our staff this season," Bynum commented on the newest addition. "She brings a lot of energy to the team and having been a part of a very successful campaign as a player, she knows what it takes to win games and will bring that knowledge to the team."
As a player with Campbellsville, an NAIA school in Campbellsville, Ky. that competes in the Mid-South Conference, Dillender enjoyed a standout career from 2008-12, earning first team All-Conference recognition in all four years, including taking home Mid-South Conference Player of the Year honors in 2010 and 2011.
