Britney Purser named Walters State Softball Coach
MORRISTOWN, TN – Britney Purser may be the youngest coach in college softball, but she is more than up for the opportunity that it presents.
On Tuesday, Purser was named Walters State's head softball coach. Purser replaces Larry Sauceman, who retired after the end of the 2024 season.
"This job and opportunity means the world to me," Purser said. "I'll officially be listed as the youngest current head coach in college softball which means I have a lot to prove and I am excited to do it."
Purser joins Walters State after two seasons as an assistant coach at St. Johns River State College. While the choice to leave and move to Morristown was tough, Purser said the Walters State staff and athletic department as a whole ultimately were the deciding factors.
"They are all supportive of athletics and truly want all of their sports to be successful and will do what it takes to allow those programs to do that," Purser said.
For Walters State Athletic Director Derek Creech, the choice to hire Purser was a no-brainer.
"We are very excited to announce Coach Purser as our head softball coach," Creech said. "Her knowledge of the game and understanding of what it takes to be a successful softball coach are unmatched. We anticipate great things from her and are excited for the future of our softball program."
While only at St. Johns River State for two years, Purser's impact was evident. Purser assisted in guiding St Johns River State to their first Conference Title, District Title and NJCAA DII National Championship in 2024.
Purser directed the pitchers for the Lady Vikings, leading the team to its lowest ERA in program history. Multiple pitchers under her guidance earned Player of the Week and one was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher at the World Series.
"There is so much to take away from St Johns especially after winning a national championship," Purser said. "One thing especially is what it takes to create a winning program. It's not what people normally think. My main reason that I think we won was because we had a very selfless team. They wanted to win no matter what the cost. Our bench players came up huge, and we had many role players.
"I plan to create a team atmosphere again where we have players who understand the game enough to respect it, even when they aren't playing."
Additionally, Purser has been a head coach in the Florida Gulf Coast League the past two summers. Purser led her team to a third-place finish and winning record both seasons and experienced the challenges and decisions a head coaching job presents.
"The Florida Gulf Coast League has helped me tremendously with learning the ins-and-outs of being a coach," Purser said. "Having hard conversations, making in-game decisions, calling plays, etc. It also helped me with making numerous connections with girls from big programs, such as Tennessee, Duke, UNC, Tulsa, Florida, etc. Those connections are great for me but even greater for Walters State as it creates a possibility of recruitment, fall games, etc."
As a player, Purser played her first two collegiate seasons at Lynn University. Purser started in 85 games over her two seasons at Lynn, before transferring to the University of North Florida for her final two seasons.
When it comes to coaching, Purser is well-versed in all aspects of the game but has spent the last few years working specifically with pitchers. The Lady Senators will need that pitching expertise from Purser, as Walters State is replacing two-time NJCAA All-American Tori Coffman in the circle.
"My philosophy for getting the best out of pitchers is to first connect with them and learn their strengths," Purser said. "Too many times pitchers focus on their weaknesses instead of honing in on their strengths. Pitchers really only need 2-3 pitches to be successful. You have 2-3 pitches that you can throw that work both sides of the plate and you can be a pretty elite pitcher."
Purser will hit the ground running, as the school year is on the verge of beginning. Walters State returns a handful of starters from last year's sixth-place team at the NJCAA DI World Series.
Purser's message to those returning players, as well as the incoming players, is one that focuses on development and the ultimate goal of moving on to a four-year university.
"My message for current and incoming players will remain the same as I enter Walters State," Purser said. "My main job at Walters State is to focus on developing players to the best they can be. Everyone has a different ceiling. I want to help players reach that and also assist in moving them on. It is important to me that we use JUCO to move athletes on to four-year universities and if I get athletes that want to do that, then we will be competitive enough to win games."
Walters State will open the fall season in a few months, taking on strong programs from multiple levels of collegiate softball.
"My goal for the 2025 season is to be competitive, create a good team atmosphere and allow my girls to play freely," Purser said. "Athletes play much better when they play freely and that only comes when athletes believe that the coach believes in them. I want all of my athletes to know how capable they are of success and I am excited to watch them accomplish that.
"I am incredibly excited to meet the team and start the fall season. I already think that this team will be capable of doing something special this year. Let's go Senators!"