Sharonda McDonald Season 2025
Sharonda McDonald, a National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) League All-Star and former Texas A&M standout, heads into her first season on the LSU softball coaching staff. Her responsibilities will include working with the LSU outfielders, the offense’s short game and assist in camp operations.
Prior to LSU, McDonald spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio University highlighted by a 2011 Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division title and an appearance in the 2011 MAC Championship Game.
The Bobcats belted a combined 82 home runs during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, the top two single season marks in program history. Lauren Gellerman, a 2012 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Mideast Second-Team and All-MAC First-Team selection, along with Raven King shared a program single season record with 13 dingers apiece.
During her tenure, Ohio had six different players secure All-MAC accolades. Jillian Van Wagnen turned in a team-leading .362 batting average, 64 hits and 30 stolen bases during the 2012 campaign as an All-MAC Second-Team pick. She finished her career with 69 total steals, second-most in program history.
McDonald began her coaching career in her native city of Houston, Texas as an assistant coach for Texas Southern in 2009. Under her supervision, the Tigers more than double their stolen base output from the season before sparked by Latrece Shello’s 17 steals.
McDonald has played six professional seasons split between the Akron Racers (2010-12) and Philadelphia Force (2007-08) of the NPF and a one-year stint with the Fiorini Softball Club (2009) of the Italian Professional League.
McDonald turned in a .331 batting average, fourth-best in the NPF and picked up 13 stolen bases en route to All-NPF honors during her rookie campaign in 2007. She followed that up with a .299 hitting clip and added 16 steals to claim a 2008 NPF All-Star selection. Over her two seasons with Philadelphia, McDonald compiled 84 total hits. She is coming off a .303 season and added 13 stolen bases with Akron and shared the NPF’s Golden Spikes award with Amber Patton in 2012. The award is given to the player that leads the NPF in stolen bases.
A standout outfielder during her playing days for national power Texas A&M, McDonald played for the Aggies from 2004-07. In that time, she garnered NFCA All-Region honors three times and a quartet of All-Big 12 selections. She holds Aggie single-season records for runs scored (60) and stolen bases (48) and also ranks as the program’s all-time leader in both categories. Her 48 steals in 2005 led the nation and helped her earn the 2005 NCAA Division I Softball Golden Shoe Award awarded to the nation’s top baserunner.
McDonald holds A&M’s sixth-best career average at .338 and is second all-time with 249 hits. She also boasts the Aggies’ top three single-season stolen base marks. After concluding her collegiate career, McDonald spent a year with Texas A&M’s strength and conditioning program where she worked the women’s basketball, softball and volleyball programs.
McDonald received a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Texas A&M in 2008. She lives in Baton Rouge.
The Sharonda McDonald File
Years School Position
2013 LSU Volunteer Coach
2009-12 Ohio University Assistant Coach
2008 Texas Southern University Assistant Coach
2004-07 Texas A&M Outfield