Kennesaw State University Athletics

Selena Collins-Patterson, a decorated athlete and respected coach, has been named the seventh head softball coach in Kennesaw State University history, Director of Athletics Milton Overton announced Monday, Sept. 15.

Collins-Patterson’s first season in charge saw the Black and Gold face a gauntlet of a schedule, where half of their games were against teams ranked inside the top 75 according to RPI. Nine of those teams would qualify for the NCAA Softball Tournament.
 
The Owls secured their first win of the Collins-Patterson era on Feb. 7 against UNCW. With the game tied 2-2 going into the seventh, KSU scored twice to seal the game. The highlight performance of the season came against Furman (Feb. 21). The Black and Gold mercy-ruled the Paladins, 16-7, and in the process, broke the single-game hits record in the DI era with 20. In game one of a doubleheader at Missouri State (March 14), the Owls won their first conference game under Collins-Patterson.
 
In 2026, Collins-Patterson oversaw the emergence of Macie Howes as she had one of the best single seasons by any Owl since the transition to Division I. The senior backstop excelled with both the bat and the glove. She gunned down 14 potential base stealers this season, which ranked first in CUSA and 12^th in the entire country. Howes reached base safely in 19 consecutive contests, which was the second-longest streak by any CUSA player this season and the 11^th-most by any mid-major player. She became the first Owl since 2021 to homer in three straight games, doing so on two occasions. She finished top 10 in CUSA in total bases, OPS, slugging percentage, batting average, extra-base hits and homers. For her efforts, Howes received Second Team All-CUSA, CUSA All-Academic and CSC Academic All-District honors.

Collins-Patterson brings more than 22 years of coaching experience across NCAA Division I, high school, travel leagues, and private academies. She currently leads the Marist School softball program and serves as CEO and president of the Atlanta Vipers Fastpitch Organization. Additionally, she has taught as a KSU lecturer since 2014.

"Owl Nation, help me welcome Coach Collins-Patterson back home to the Nest!" Overton said. "Selena knows how to be a champion on the softball diamond and in the classroom. She embodies the spirit of Kennesaw State Athletics, understands what it means to be an Owl, and is deeply committed to the success of our student-athletes. We are thrilled to have her leading our softball program into an exciting new era."

A Texas A&M Hall of Fame catcher, Collins-Patterson was a Big 12 Player of the Year, all-American, and team captain. She represented the USA National Team and earned NPF All-Star honors playing professionally in the National Pro Fastpitch League.

Her coaching résumé includes head coaching stints at Trinity University, where she guided the Tigers to a conference championship and was named Coach of the Year, as well as Pace Academy, where she captured a region title and Coach of the Year honors. She has also served as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State and as the softball director for the National Baseball and Softball Academy.

"I am truly honored to take on this role at Kennesaw State," said Collins-Patterson. "Having spent much of my life coaching and mentoring young women in a sport I love, I feel incredibly fortunate to continue guiding a group of young women toward reaching their full potential. I'm excited to work with our student-athletes to build on the program's strong tradition and help develop champions both on and off the field. I'm grateful to Milton Overton and our administration for their trust and support. Go Owls!"

A champion of student-athlete development, Collins-Patterson has overseen the Atlanta Vipers 2030 travel team, leading the Vipers to multiple championships, including the PGF Super Select 12U Southeast title. As a lecturer in KSU's Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education, she teaches wellness, coaching principles, and advanced sport coaching courses, underscoring her commitment to holistic student growth.

Collins-Patterson earned her bachelor's degree from Texas A&M in 2004 and her master's from Texas Women's University in 2012. She is currently a PhD candidate at Concordia University Chicago.