CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Christine Core has joined the Virginia softball program as the Director of Operations, it was announced by head coach Joanna Hardin on Thursday (July 7). Core joins the Cavaliers after spending the last four years as the head softball coach at Lincoln University.

“We are grateful to have Christine join our staff,” Hardin said. “Her energy and passion for softball was evident within the first five minutes that we spoke. She’s coached for more than 10 years and understands what it takes to run a successful program. I believe she will make an immediate impact on our program, and we are thrilled she is a part of our UVA family.”

In her first season with the Tigers in 2019, Core led Lincoln to the most wins since the 2014 season and helped the team improve in almost every offensive category – including a combined 20 home runs which was the most in four seasons. The 2021 squad led the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) in double plays and finished 14th nationally in NCAA Division II.

Core’s squad at Lincoln also excelled in the classroom with 13 players earning academic recognition from the MIAA in 2020, six players earning MIAA Academic Excellence Awards, two MIAA Scholar Athlete Awards and 24 selections to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Jordan Lawson was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in the 2019 season.

Prior to her time at Lincoln, Core spent two years as the head coach at her alma mater, Covenant College, where she amassed 45 wins and became the first coach in Lady Scots program history to lead the team to consecutive winning seasons. Covenant advanced to the postseason both seasons with four players earning All-USA South honors.

Before taking over the head coaching duties at Covenant for the 2017 season, Core served as an assistant for the 2016 season. In her three years on staff at Covenant as an assistant, she helped the Lady Scots post 63 wins after the program had only compiled 28 wins in the previous three seasons.

Core began her coaching career in the high school ranks in 2012, leading Dade County High in Trenton, Georgia, to three consecutive state tournament appearances and the class 2A championship in her first season. She was named the GACA Coach of the Year and was the Georgia Dugout Club Coach of the Year that season. She followed it up with a quarterfinal appearance in the 2013 state tournament.

During her four-year playing career at Covenant, Core earned NCCAA All-American first team honors, NCCAA Regional Player of the Year accolades and was selected to the NCCAA All-Tournament Team. Core holds Covenant’s single-season (26) and career (59) records for stolen bases and is fourth in program history with 162 hits.

Core, who also started 42 games during a three-year basketball career at Covenant, graduated in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in English.