DAVIS, Calif. – After 12 seasons leading the UC Davis softball program and almost three decades in collegiate coaching, UC Davis Softball Head Coach Erin Thorpe has announced her retirement from coaching.
 
Thorpe leaves behind one of the most successful eras in program history, during which she guided the Aggies to sustained success while helping countless student-athletes grow, on and off the field.
 
Thorpe finishes her UC Davis tenure as the second-winningest coach in program history with 273 victories and is just the third coach in school history to surpass the 200-win mark. Across a 23-year head coaching career that included stops at UC Davis, Boise State and Whittier College, Thorpe compiled 496 career victories, including 446 at the Division I level.
 
"After 23 seasons in coaching, including 12 unforgettable years at UC Davis, retiring is both bittersweet and deeply meaningful," said Thorpe. "I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many dedicated assistant coaches, remarkable players, and wonderful colleagues throughout my career. We experienced wins, milestones, and accomplishments that I will always be proud of, but the relationships we built, the lessons we shared, and the moments we experienced together are what will always matter to me most. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. It has truly been one of the great honors of my life."
 
"Erin's career at UC Davis reflects a remarkable commitment to our university, to our student-athletes and to the sport of softball," said Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca. "She led the program with dedication and helped guide it through significant moments in its history. We appreciate all that she has contributed to UC Davis Athletics and wish Erin and her family the very best as she begins this next chapter in her journey."
 
Thorpe's final season at UC Davis was one of the most successful in program history as the Aggies set a new standard in the Big West Conference and positioned themselves for continued success heading into the Mountain West Conference.
 
The Aggies posted 17 conference victories in 2026, the program's most ever in the Big West Conference, and earned the program's first appearance in the Big West Championship Tournament. Along the way, UC Davis recorded a signature victory over Cal State Fullerton, which was ranked No. 4 in the national mid-major poll at the time, and completed a historic road sweep of Long Beach State.
 
Throughout her tenure, Thorpe coached some of the most accomplished student-athletes in program history. Brooke Yanez became the program's first All-American under her leadership in 2019, while Anna Dethlefson earned Big West Player of the Year honors in 2023. Thorpe also guided Yanez to Big West Pitcher of the Year recognition in 2019 and helped Ashley Sawai earn Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors in 2024. Since Thorpe took over the program in 2015, Aggies have earned 41 All-Big West selections and seven National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region honors.
 
Several Aggies also etched their names into the record book during Thorpe's tenure. Anna Dethlefson became the first player in program history to surpass 100 career stolen bases, finishing with 110 and ranking second in Big West Conference history.

Other Aggies established numerous UC Davis Division I-era records, including Alyse Rojas in career and single-season batting average and on-base percentage, Sarah Starks in career and single-season home runs and career RBIs, Alexa Yanez in single-season wins, ERA and strikeouts, and Kenedi Brown in career wins and strikeouts. During Thorpe's final season, the Aggies set Division I-era program records for hits, doubles and walks while posting the second-highest totals in batting average and RBIs.
 
The Aggies also enjoyed several landmark seasons under Thorpe's leadership, including a 39-win campaign in 2019, which marks the program's highest win total since 2003.
 
Prior to arriving at UC Davis, Thorpe became the winningest coach in Boise State softball history. A former All-American student-athlete herself, Thorpe coached the Broncos' Tara Glover to the program's first All-America honor and six players earned all-region recognition and 18 received all-conference accolades during her tenure in Boise. She was the head coach at Whittier College before taking over at Boise State.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.