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Softball Head Coach
Michael S. Reed
Mike Reed
By The Numbers...
188
Wins by Reed in his five-year career
73.6
Winning percentage at UT Tyler, the highest of all Division III Texas teams since the start of the program
48
Homers in 2007, in the top 10 in the country
18
Game winning streak for Louisiana College ended by the Patriots with an 8-2 win on March 21, 2006
9
All-ASC Players in 2007
8
NFCA West All-Region Selections
6
Wins against teams in
the NFCA Top 25
4
Wins against teams in
the NFCA Top 5
3.11
Team GPA at UT Tyler in Spring of 2007
0
ASC playoff games lost by Reed’s teams.
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 In three years under head coach Mike Reed, The University of Texas at Tyler softball program has quickly established itself as a program to reckon with in the American Southwest Conference.
Mike Reed has built a program that excels on the diamond and off, with sixteen players making ASC All-Division teams and fourteen players named to ASC All-Academic teams. The Patriots are 7-1 against Division I schools, and also 7-1 against NAIA schools.
The 2007 Patriots had a best-ever 30-10 record. Their team record thirty wins included a double-header sweep of #2 Louisiana College on the road at Pineville. UT Tyler led the conference with a .364 batting average, and also topped the ASC in runs (308), RBI (271), and home runs. The Patriots belted a team-record 48 homers this year, ranking them in the top ten nationally. The Patriots placed five players on the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III All-West Region team, and nine players on All-ASC teams.
In 2006, in just their second year of existence, the Patriots finished 26-10 and in second place in the ASC East behind only nationally-ranked Louisiana College. The Patriots dealt the Lady Wildcats the first defeat of the season, ending their eighteen game winning streak. UT Tyler took wins over Louisiana College and Chapman, both teams that were ranked in the national top five at some point during the season. Of the fourteen teams in the ASC, the Patriots finished the season ranked 3rd in pitching and team defense, and would have qualified for the playoffs if eligible. Eight players made ASC All-East Division, and three made All-Region.
In the program's first-ever year of competition, UT Tyler finished in second place in the American Southwest Conference with an 18-10 conference record. The young Patriots were an amazing 27-11 on the season. With only five players that were not freshman, UT Tyler finished their first-ever season ranked near the top in many statistical categories in the American Southwest Conference. Out of the 14 ASC softball schools, the Patriots finished second in pitching with a team ERA of just 1.25, fourth in on-base percentage, third in RBI's, second in triples and third in stolen bases. They also finished with the third most wins in the entire ASC. For this first-year's team record setting season, eight Patriots were named to the ASC All-Division team and one was named to the TPS West All-Region team.
Reed came to UT Tyler from East Texas Baptist University, where he coached his team to the ASC Championship crowns in all three years. He was twice named ASC East Coach of the Year for his efforts which twice saw his teams advance to the NCAA Tournament. His 2002 team finished in the Sweet Sixteen, and ended the season ranked #12 in the NFCA polls. He became ETBU’s all-time leader in wins in his three years at the helm.
Reed earned his Masters of Education at UT Tyler. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from ETBU. A native of Clarksville, Texas, Reed also was a pitcher for the ETBU baseball team. He threw a no-hitter while with the Tigers, and his name still appears in the ETBU record books in several career categories.
Reed is married to Amanda Reed, who is the head softball coach at Brook Hill Academy. They have one son, Garrett (4).
Michael Reed: Year-by-Year
Year |
School |
W |
L |
Results |
2001 |
East Texas Baptist |
37 |
10 |
ASC Champs
Regional Champs
NCCAA National Tourney, 2nd Place |
2002 |
East Texas Baptist |
38 |
8 |
ASC Champs
NCAA Tourney Sweet 16
NFCA Final #12 Ranking |
2003 |
East Texas Baptist |
30 |
13 |
ASC Champs
NCAA Tourney |
2004 |
UT Tyler |
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Recruiting/Program Development |
2005 |
UT Tyler |
27 |
11 |
ASC East, 2nd Place (T) |
2006 |
UT Tyler |
26 |
10 |
ASC East, 2nd Place |
2007 |
UT Tyler |
30 |
10 |
ASC East, 4th Place |
Career: |
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188 |
62 |
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Coach Mike Reed can be reached at (903) 565-5661 or by email at mreed@uttyler.edu.
Softball
Coaching Staff
Assistant Coach
Keith Bell
 Keith Bell of Forney is entering his second year as assistant coach of the UT Tyler Patriots.
Bell, the president and CEO of Intex Electrical Contractors in Forney and owner of the KB Cattle Company in Wills Point, has ten years of experience in coaching youth and select club softball programs.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Keith’s caliber join our staff,” said Reed. “He will bring valuable leadership experience as well a solid philosophy on the fundamentals of softball.”
Bell began coaching for the Forney Youth Softball Association in 1991 and began coaching with the Texas Travelers Girls’ Fastpitch organization in 2002. He has also coached the Forney High School fall softball program.
Bell was the founder and past president of the Forney Education Leadership Foundation, a member of the Forney Economic Development Corporation, a member of the Mesquite Lions Club and the president of the Forney ISD Board of Trustees.
He has served as chairman of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Advisory Board.
Bell has been named Forney’s Outstanding Citizen and has received numerous awards from the Independent Electrical Contractors, including the organization’s national Member of the Year Award.
“I appreciate the opportunity Coach Reed has given me to coach at the collegiate level,” said Bell. “Coach Reed is allowing me to pursue my passion for softball and I am humbled by the confidence he has show in my. Years of leadership and coaching positions have prepared me to take advantage of this opportunity and I am very excited about the future of UT Tyler softball.”
Bell will continue to handle coaching hitting for the Patriots, as well as assiting with the development of the Patriots outfielders. |
Assistant Coach
Christy Shipley-Gipson
 After being one of the most dominant softball players ever to play in the ASC, Christy Shipley-Gipson joined the Patriots coaching staff in August 2007.
Shipley-Gipson was initially recruited to ETBU by Patriots coach Mike Reed, and in her four years there was one of the most feared players in the ASC. She was a two-time ASC Player of the Year, and also First Team All-ASC and All-Academic every year of her career. Shipley-Gipson was also a four-year honoree on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region Team.
She finished her career as ETBU’s all-time leader in hits, at-bats, runs, doubles, triples and batting average. In 2006, she received an award from the NCAA for being the toughest player to strike out in the nation. In her 151 plate appearances that year, she batted .404 with 47 runs scored, and did not strike out a single time.
Shipley-Gipson’s achievements extended into the classroom as well. In addition to her All-Academic awards and five appearances on the Dean’s List with honors, she was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first-team in the spring of 2007. She carried a GPA of 3.72, and received her Bachelor of Science in University Studies.
“Coach Reed recruited me when he was at ETBU,” Shipley-Gipson said, “I have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done for both programs.”
“Even though I can’t play anymore, I still want to be able to give back and make a positive impression. It’s an exciting time for UT Tyler, there’s a great atmosphere here.”
Reed, who recruited Shipley-Gipson to ETBU before leaving to found the Patriots softball program, says she’s not only a quality player, but a quality person as well.
“Anybody that knows Christy as a player or a person, you have respect for her,” Reed said. “If you played against her, you respect her ability. If you’ve ever met her as a person, you respect her character and what she’s about.”
“To add that kind of caliber person to our staff is a big addition, she’ll make a big impact.”
Shipley-Gipson, a former pitcher and shortstop, will work primarily with pitchers and middle infielders.
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