Long Island University

Whitney Shepherd was hired as an assistant coach with the Long Island University softball program in October 2025. She joins LIU after concluding her collegiate playing career at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia. 

A four-year starter at Reinhardt, Shepherd appeared in 97 games with 52 wins and 20 losses in the circle. She posted a career ERA of 2.00 with 283 strikeouts over 476.1 innings pitched. 

Over her career at Reinhardt, Shepherd was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and a two-time First-Team All-AAC selection in 2023 and 2024. Shepherd was also an AAC All-Tournament selection in 2023. 

With Shepherd in the circle, Reinhardt won AAC regular season championships in 2023 and 2024, winning the AAC Tournament in the 2024 season. The Eagles also reached the NAIA Softball Opening Rounds in 2021, 2023, and 2024. 

Shepherd spent two seasons playing professional softball overseas; one in Germany playing for the Neunkirchen Nightmares from May-September 2024, and a season in Adelaide, Australia from October 2024-April 2025 for the Seacombe Tigers. With the Tigers, Shepherd led the league in ERA and recorded the second-most strikeouts. 

She also competed for the SA National U23 team in the Australian National Tournament, where she was the top pitcher that led the team to a runner-up finish for the Australian National Championship. Shepherd pitched in six games, going 2-1 with one save. She totaled 25 innings with an ERA of 1.96, 29 strikeouts, and four walks. 

A native of Trion, Georgia, Shepherd graduated from Reinhardt with a bachelor's degree in sports studies with a minor in business in 2023, later earning her master’s degree in sport administration and leadership in 2024.