Karlie Milburn is entering her first year as the assistant coach for the East Central University softball program heading into the 2025-26 season. A highly respected figure in collegiate softball, Milburn brings a diverse and dynamic background in player development, mental performance, and championship-level coaching to the Tigers.
Milburn joins ECU after a standout season at Southern Arkansas University, where she helped lead the Muleriders to a GAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship, a regional finalist appearance, and guided a dominant pitching staff that posted a 1.60 ERA. Under her direction, the team earned 10 GAC Pitcher of the Week honors, 4 National Pitcher of the Week honors, and saw standout Brinson Rogers collect multiple accolades including GAC Pitcher of the Year, GAC Female Athlete of the Year, D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year, and NFCA DII Pitcher of the Year.
Her coaching success is nothing new. Milburn’s previous coaching roles include stints at Kenyon College, Florida Gulf Coast Collegiate League, and most recently, serving as Head Coach in the Lone Star State Collegiate Softball League, where she was named 2024 Coach of the Year after leading her team to the league’s inaugural championship. She was instrumental in the development of the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.
At the University of Michigan, Milburn served as a graduate assistant for the Wolverines’ softball program while also working as an athletic counselor, providing performance support, post-injury guidance, and mental health education to athletes across a wide range of sports. Her unique experience in mental performance coaching continues to be a cornerstone of her approach.
A former collegiate athlete herself, Milburn began her playing career at East Central University before transferring to Tarleton State University, where she competed until 2020 while earning a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management. She later earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse, and completed a clinical placement with Michigan’s Athletic Counseling Team.
