Karen Weekly hires Ehren Earleywine as associate head coach

Just a day after Craig Snider and Stephanie Sanders departed the University of Tennessee softball program, head coach Karen Weekly announced her newest staff addition.

On Tuesday, Weekly announced the hiring of Ehren Earleywine as associate head coach. Earleywine will assume the duties of hitting coach.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ehren Earleywine to the Tennessee Lady Vol softball family,” Weekly said via press release. “Ehren is a proven winner and one of the most brilliant minds in college softball. His resume speaks for itself. In both head and assistant coach roles, Ehren has achieved tremendous success everywhere he has been. He understands how to create relationships with student-athletes that allow them to become the best versions of themselves. I have known Ehren for over 25 years and am beyond excited to work together to bring championships to Rocky Top.”

Earleywine brings a wealth of knowledge, with more than 20 years of coaching experience, including 14 as a head coach with more than 600 career wins. His latest stop was at Texas, where he helped lead them to this year’s national championship. The Longhorns were a top-25 offensive team.

They finished their season with a slash line of .334/.423/.508, with 99 home runs, 448 runs scored and 411 RBIs. When the ball was in play, their average was .347.

Before Texas, Earleywine helped Ole Miss to one of the best offensive seasons they had in program history in 2024. They set program highs in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs and total bases.

In Earleywine’s previous stops, he spent 11 years as the head coach of the Missouri Tigers and five years at Georgia Tech, with three as the head coach.

“I am incredibly excited to join the Tennessee softball program,” Earleywine said. “This is a place defined by a rich tradition of winning, passionate people, and a vision that aligns perfectly with where I want to be both personally and professionally for the long term. I want to specifically thank Karen Weekly and the University of Tennessee administration for the opportunity to be part of something so special. I’m honored by their trust and look forward to helping build on the championship standard that makes Tennessee softball one of the premier programs in the country.

“I’m leaving Texas with nothing but gratitude. It’s been one of the most rewarding chapters of my life, and I’ll always be proud to have been a Longhorn. My sincere thanks to Coach Mike White and the administration for their belief, support, and professionalism from day one. The program is in great hands and will continue to win championships for many years to come.”

This is a home-run hire for Weekly and the Tennessee softball program. After an offensive year that saw regression from the prior season, it is crucial to turn things around in 2027. The firepower and talent are there to do so.