Emory University softball head coach India Chiles has announced the appointment of Katie Griffith to the coaching staff prior to the 2024-25 season. Griffith, who has previous coaching stops at Southern Illinois and Webster, will work with the Eagles' pitching staff in her new role.

"Katie is one of the hottest names to circulate conversations today when speaking of the top pitching coaches," Chiles said. "She will without a doubt elevate not only our pitching but our entire program. Katie was a standout pitcher I competed against in college and has proven to know the game as well as anyone. Bringing a superstar back home is always nice."

Griffith was a standout performer at the University of Georgia from 2004-06, leading the Bulldogs to three NCAA tournaments and one Super Regional appearance. At the time of her graduation, she ranked among the top pitchers in program history in strikeouts, shutouts, wins, complete games, innings pitched, earned run average and opponent batting average. As a freshman, Griffith became the second player in SEC history to throw multiple perfect games in a single season.

"Georgia is home," Griffith said. "I am so excited to be coaching at one of our nation's most prestigious universities. The Emory athletic department has a reputation for cultivating greatness. To be working alongside India as a coach, rather than competing against her as a player, is a remarkable full-circle moment in my softball story. She is smart, driven and committed to providing a first-class student-athlete experience. Coach India, Coach Dawn Gaffin, and I are highly compatible coaches and I believe together we make a stellar team. I can't wait to get to work with our athletes this fall."

Following her playing career, Griffith opened and operated the K Club Training academy before becoming the head coach and physical education teacher at the Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles from 2016-17. She went on to spend one season with the Gateway Grizzlies, a professional baseball team in the Frontier League.

She was named the head coach for Webster University in 2019 and spent five seasons with the Gorloks. During her time with the program, Webster posted an overall record of 78-80 and was 41-25 inside the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference where she was a two-time Coach of the Year. The Gorloks captured the SLIAC tournament title in 2021 to advance to the NCAA tournament.

After her stint with Webster, Griffth spent one season as the pitching coach with Division I's Southern Illinois University. This past year with the Salukis, SIU achieved one of its best seasons to date, going 44-11 overall and 23-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference, advancing to the finals of the NCAA Regionals and had the fifth-best staff ERA in Division I at 1.82. Southern Illinois was named the MVC's Coaching Staff of the Year. She also guided the development of Maddia Groff in the circle, helping Groff become the MVC Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, as well as SIU's fourth-ever NFCA All-American and first since 2001.

Griffith is a native of Conyers, Georgia and attended Heritage High School. She was the 2001 Georgia Pitcher of the Year while leading the team to the GHSA AAAA state championship in both 2000 and 2003. Griffith is a protégé of Tom House, world-renowned expert in the biomechanics of the throwing motion, former Atlanta Braves pitcher and co-founder of the National Pitching Association.

She will officially begin her tenure with the Eagles on August 1.