Quartet of Alums to Serve As Assistant Coaches for Goldey-Beacom Softball

9/3/2025 12:00:00 AM

Four of Goldey-Beacom's assistant softball coaches for the 2026 campaign will have familiarity with the program as the squad brings Rachel Thompson, Hannah Wills, Morgan McLane and Abigail O'Shields back to help the squad.

As Rachel Davis, Thompson provided stability in starting all 180 games from 2016-19 with most of her play at third base. A gifted athlete and solid teammate who was the model of consistency, Thompson stands 19th in team history with 129 career hits.

During her sophomore campaign of 2017, Thompson helped Goldey-Beacom close fifth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and clinch its first trip to the league tournament in 11 years. GBC opened its play with a stunning 2-0 victory over perennial-power Wilmington.

As Hannah Davis, Wills from 2020-24 also gave the Lightning outstanding play. Her speed, both on offense and defense, proved to be vital in helping the continued resurgence of the program.

Wills' senior year in 2024 saw her named second team All-CACC after closing with a career-best 61 hits to go with 11 doubles, 17 RBI and 20 stolen bases. She is first in team history with 73 stolen bases, first with 135 runs, third with 188 hits (first in the team's NCAA era), tied for ninth with 33 doubles and 23rd with a .337 batting average.

McLane just finished an incredible four-year run as one of the program's and area's premier pitchers. That was capped last season, when she was picked second team all-conference in a year when she went 14-3 with 90 strikeouts versus only 30 walks and opponents hit just .229 off her.

A three-time member of the league's All-Academic Team, McLane graduates first in team history with 36 wins, first with 288 strikeouts, first with six saves and third with 373 innings.

O'Shields also was a solid pitcher in being tabbed first team all-league in 2024, her lone season with GBC as a player. She made an immediate impact as the team's number one pitcher with strikeouts totals that were unreal at the time, ending the year with a team-single-season record 227.

That total puts her fourth on the school's career list. O'Shields also is ninth in team annals with 18 victories, which at the time equaled the program's single-season mark.

"Goldey Beacom Softball is excited to have four of the best players in school history as assistant coaches this year." said Jay Davis, GBC interim coach and father of both Thompson and Wills. "The softball knowledge in the dugout with these young ladies will definitely transfer to the girls on the field and I can't wait to get after it! Each of them have a true knowledge of their position and for them to be back to share that with this year's team is a manager's dream!

"There are programs that have turnover and players entering the portal each year. We do not have that here. I think what we have at Goldey is truly special. We have girls who play their careers and then return to coach and give back to the school and program they love. This is the foundation that Juli Greep (former coach and current Director of Softball Operations) created and we as coaches are proud to carry these traditions."

Last season (40-16) provided history, pride and memories that will live for many years. Goldey-Beacom notched the most single-season victories for any team in the Athletic Department's 35-year history, became the first GBC program to host an NCAA Tournament event on the Pike Creek campus and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

The Lightning also made the CACC Tournament in three consecutive seasons for the first time in 19 years and won multiple games in said tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time.

Goldey-Beacom also won the CACC Team GPA Award for having the top grade point average among all the league teams for that sport.

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