ST. PAUL, Minn. — St. Catherine University Director of Athletics Madge Makowske has announced Erika Smyth as the Wildcats' new head softball coach. Smyth brings an accomplished background in high school coaching, club leadership and player development to St. Kate's.

Smyth succeeds Colleen Powers, who departed St. Catherine to become the head softball coach at NCAA Division II Augustana University after 13 seasons leading the Wildcats.
"I am excited to welcome Coach Erika Smyth as the next head coach of the St. Kate's softball program," said Makowske. "From our very first conversation, it was clear how passionate she is about the game of softball and, more importantly, about developing student-athletes. Throughout the search process, she consistently stood out because of her energy, competitive mindset and exceptional softball knowledge.

"Coach Smyth's experience as a Division I student-athlete gives her a strong understanding of what it takes to build a successful program, but what impressed me most was her vision for creating a culture where accountability, growth and meaningful relationships go hand in hand. She is a dynamic leader committed to helping every student-athlete develop both on and off the field while fostering an environment where they can compete with confidence and support one another. We are excited for the future of St. Kate's softball under her leadership."

Smyth joins St. Kate's after spending the past five seasons as the head softball coach at Prior Lake High School in Prior Lake, Minnesota. During her tenure, she built a competitive program grounded in relationships, accountability, player development and a positive student-athlete experience. She also helped strengthen the program at every level while preparing athletes to continue their careers in college.

"I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to lead the softball program at St. Kate's," said Smyth. "Throughout the interview process, I was drawn to the people at St. Kate's and the University's commitment to developing women who lead and make an impact.

"Softball has shaped every stage of my life—as a student-athlete, coach and program builder—and I am excited to bring those experiences into this next chapter. There is already a strong foundation in place, and I look forward to continuing to elevate the program, competing at a high level in one of the most competitive conferences in Division III and putting ourselves in position to contend for MIAC championships. I could not be more excited to get started, and I am incredibly proud to be a Wildcat."

In addition to her high school coaching experience, Smyth is the owner and club director of Catalyst Softball, a multi-state club and player development organization serving athletes from 10U through 18U in Minnesota and South Dakota. She oversees the organization's teams and coaching staffs while remaining actively involved in coach development, player evaluation, recruiting and on-field instruction.

Under her leadership, Catalyst teams have competed successfully at prominent events across the country, highlighted by a Triple Crown Colorado Sparkler championship and numerous regional, state and national tournament titles.

Throughout her coaching career, Smyth has trained and developed athletes ranging from the youth level through professional softball. She has coached numerous players who have gone on to compete at the NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III levels, as well as in the NAIA and junior college ranks. Athletes coached by Smyth have also earned NCAA All-America honors.

Before beginning her coaching career, Smyth was a four-year letter winner at the University of Minnesota. She was a member of the Gophers' 2014 Big Ten championship team and helped Minnesota win the first NCAA Regional title in program history and advance to an NCAA Super Regional.

Smyth was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and became the first player in Gopher softball history to earn back-to-back Teammate of the Year honors, an award voted on by her teammates.

Her experience in the sport also includes serving as a color analyst for University of Minnesota softball broadcasts on Big Ten Network and B1G+. In 2019, she joined Mike Grimm on KFAN's radio broadcasts of Minnesota's games during the Gophers' run to the Women's College World Series.