CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. –
Shannon Wathen, former Lady Tiger Basketball player and legendary softball coach, is set to enter the Campbellsville University Athletics Hall of Fame on October 18th, Athletic Director Adam Preston announced Tuesday.
Shannon Wathen, a Flaherty, Kentucky native, will be inducted into the Campbellsville University Hall of Fame for her decades of dedication to the University's athletics program. Her induction will take place at Finley Stadium prior to kickoff of the Tigers' football game against the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders at 1:30 p.m. ET.
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Shannon Wathen's legacy goes further than wins and championships," Preston shared. "She has built a culture of excellence and integrity that has shaped generations of student-athletes. Her impact on the softball program and this university is immeasurable, and her place in the Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to a career of leadership, passion, and commitment."
Herself a pillar of Campbellsville University athletics, Wathen has spent 22 years as the head coach of the Lady Tiger softball program, having built a legacy of national prominence and conference dominance. Ranked among the top 20 active NAIA coaches for career wins, Wathen is the second-winningest coach in Campbellsville University history (only trailing fellow coach and Hall of Fame inductee Beauford Sanders). Her decorated tenure is highlighted by leading the Lady Tigers to their first-ever NAIA World Series appearance in 2015 and consistently producing championship-caliber teams and nationally recognized student-athletes.
Under Wathen's leadership, the Lady Tigers have been a perennial power in the Mid-South Conference, capturing nine regular-season championships and six tournament titles. Her teams have been a fixture in the conference tournament finals, appearing in 13 championship games during her time at the helm. This sustained success is a testament to her ability to build and reload talented rosters, evidenced by her 10 MSC Coach of the Year awards, the most in school history.
An accomplished developer of talent, Wathen has coached numerous players to NAIA and NFCA All-American honors, in addition to multiple conference Player, Pitcher, and Freshman of the Year recipients. Her own experience as an elite student-athlete at Campbellsville—where she was a two-time All-American and two-time All-Conference in women's basketball—provides a unique foundation for her coaching philosophy. As a player, Wathen earned the third-most all-time career assists (600), the seventh-most career steals (257), and the seventh-most career blocks (56).
Wathen, a 1999 Campbellsville graduate, began her coaching career as a graduate assistant for the women's basketball team under legendary coach Donna Wise before taking the helm of the softball program in 2003. Her commitment to the university's mission extends beyond the field, as she has participated in several athletics department mission trips.
Wathen enters her 23rd season as the head coach of Lady Tiger Softball in the 2025-26 school year.
