Coaching Staff
Head Coach
Shannon Doepking
Shannon Doepking was named the fourth head softball coach in program history September 14, 2018. Doepking came to Syracuse following a four-year stint at Dartmouth where she led the Big Green to two Ivy League Championships (2015 & 2018).
Doepking holds a 31-42 record in her two seasons as head coach. In her first season at the helm of the Syracuse program, Doepking led the Orange to a 21-32 record which saw significant improvement on the offensive side of the ball. Doepking and the coaching staff helped the Orange nearly double its home run total from 2018, producing 27 in 2019. The Orange's 73 doubles and 1.38 per game both rank fourth all-time for single season records at Syracuse while the team's 14 triples are the second-best in program history. The Orange's 0.26 triples per game also ranked 32nd nationally. Syracuse also recorded its first series victory against Notre Dame in program history.
The Orange went 10-10 in Doepking's second campaign, which was shortened by the COVID-19 global pandemic. The 2020 season was highlighted by a 3-2 walkoff victory over #20 Texas Tech, the first win for Syracuse over a ranked team since March 26, 2016.
The 2018 Ivy League Coach of the Year, Doepking oversaw the development of two Ivy League Players of the Year (2015,2016), the 2018 Rookie of the Year, 2015 Ivy League Pitcher of the Year, National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region honorees, 21 All-Ivy League selections and four Ivy League All-Academic selections. Doepking placed a strong emphasis on the Big Green's strength of schedule as Dartmouth led the Ivy League in RPI for three of her four season.
Prior to her tenure at Dartmouth, Doepking spent a season at the helm of the Amherst program. She led a significant turnaround in the program with a 21-11 record. Doepking previously served as an assistant coach at Stony Brook where she helped develop a squad that won the American East for the first time in five years. Doepking also served as an assistant coach at Fairleigh Dickinson and Brentwood Academy.
A decorated player herself, Doepking was an All-SEC catcher out of Tennessee. During her playing career she helped the Lady Vols to an impressive 246-46 (.842) record and three consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances including a runner-up finish in 2007.
She continued her playing career after graduation as the 15th overall pick in the 2008 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) draft by the Akron Racers. Doekping had stints with the USSSA Pride and the Tennessee Diamonds before signing with the Chicago Bandits. While with the Bandits, Doepking helped Chicago capture its second NPF title in 2011 where she was named to the All-NPF Team.
Doepking holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tennessee in addition to a masters of sports administration from Fairleigh Dickinson.
Assistant Coach
Sydney O'Hara
Sydney O'Hara, a four-year letterwinner and All-American for the Orange, has returned home. O'Hara joined Syracuse head coach Shannon Doepking's staff as an assistant coach on July 21, 2021. She is responsible for working primarily with the Orange pitchers but assists in all aspects of the program.
O'Hara spent the past three seasons on the sidelines at Binghamton where she worked with the pitchers. She assisted in recruiting, team travel and meals as well as organizing camps. During her time at Binghamton the Bearcats had six America East All-Conference selections and two All-Rookie team honorees. In her first season at Binghamton, one of her pitchers earned All-Tournament Team honors at the 2018 America East Tournament.
Prior to Binghamton, O'Hara was at neighboring LeMoyne College from 2017-18 during which time she worked primarily with the Dolphins' pitching staff and assisted in working with the hitters, recruiting, scouting opponents, scheduling games and running team camps. In 2018, two of the three Dolphins that earned NFHCA All-Region Second Team accolades were pitchers that O'Hara mentored.
O'Hara's name is synonymous with Syracuse Softball and it is plastered across the Orange record book. She holds the career record for saves (12) and ranks in the top-10 in program history in 19 other career categories. O'Hara's .476 batting average as a senior still remains as the single-season record at Syracuse and her six saves that season and five in 2016 rank No. 1 and No. 2 in program history.
O'Hara was a three-time Louisville Slugger/NFHCA All-Region honoree (2014, 2016, 2017) and was named All-America by both Louisville Slugger/NFHCA (third team) and College Sports Madness (first team) as a utility player/pitcher. O'Hara earned first team All-ACC accolades in 2014 and again as a senior in 2017.
Assistant Coach
Katie McEachern
Katie McEachern, a starting shortstop for current Syracuse Head Coach Shannon Doepking at Dartmouth, has joined her former coach’s staff as an assistant coach in August 2021. McEachern spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Fordham.
In 2019, McEachern helped the Rams to their seventh-straight Atlantic 10 championship, sixth regular season title, and ninth trip to the NCAA Regional during her first season. While at Fordham, McEachern was responsible for the development of hitters and creating hitting approaches based on individual strengths. In 2021, eight members of the Fordham softball lineup slugged over .500 and, as a team, the Rams had a .312 batting average, .395 on base percentage, and .510 slugging percentage.
Prior to Fordham, McEachern spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Saint Francis University. While in Loretto, she helped guide the Red Flash to the 2017 and 2018 NEC Championship, back-to-back undefeated conference seasons, and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances at the Arizona Regional.
McEachern was a member of the 2014 and 2015 Ivy League Championship teams at Dartmouth. She was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2013 and was twice named Ivy League Player of the Year. McEachern earned NFHCA Northeast All-Region Second Team honors in 2015 and was a first team selection in 2016. As a senior, she earned Dartmouth’s highest athletic honor when she was named the recipient of the Kenneth Archibald Prize.
After graduation from Dartmouth, she played and coached professionally with Skövde in Sweden during the summer and a year later received an invitation to play for the Canadian National Team.
McEachern earned her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Dartmouth in 2016 and completed an MBA from Saint Francis in 2018 and is working to complete a M.S. from the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham.