Nichole Poore
Nichole Poore
Title: Assistant Softball Coach
Phone: 276-944-6885
Email: nsoftballx@gmail.com
Year: Fourth Year at E&H
Alma Mater: UVa-Wise alumna

Nichole Poore is entering her fourth year as an Assistant Softball Coach at Emory & Henry College. Poore serves as the team’s primary pitching coach. Poore’s experience, knowledge of softball, and pitching expertise adds great depth to the Emory & Henry coaching staff.

In 2021, Poore helped the team to its’ highest winning percentage in program history (.763), highest ranking in the NFCA top 25 poll (reaching as high as 9th on two occasions), and deepest postseason run in the NCAA Tournament (T-9). Poore’s pitchers were quite impressive posting a 2.83 ERA as a staff and leading the Old Dominion Conference in Strikeouts per game (7.79).  

In 2020, Poore’s pitching staff compiled a team ERA of 2.67 and allowed just two home runs all season. The Wasps led the ODAC with 92 strikeouts in a shortened season due to precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Poore’s first season as pitching coach, the team won 25 games, finished as ODAC Regular Season Runner-Up, and earned a berth into the 2019 NCAA Division III National Championship Demorest Regional. Poore saw her pitchers rank fourth in ODAC Earned Run Average (2.97) and second in strikeouts (297).

Poore has 16 years of coaching experience. In 2006, Poore served as a fifth- year student assistant at her alma mater, UVA-Wise. For the past 14 years, Poore has been the top assistant and pitching coach at Northwood High School in Saltville, Virginia, which finished third in the VHSL State Tournament in 2019. Along with coaching softball, Poore has been the head volleyball coach for eight years and the assistant basketball coach for five years at NHS.

Poore was a four-year letterwinner at UVA-Wise. As a pitcher and All-Appalachian Athletic Conference designated player, Poore helped the team win three NAIA AAC Championships in her four years. In Poore’s senior campaign, the team won the AAC title, the Region XII championship, and went on to compete in the NAIA World Series for the first time in program history.

Poore is one of the most decorated high school pitchers to ever come out of Southwest Virginia. A standout at Patrick Henry High School, Poore won four-straight Hogoheegee District Tournament titles, three-straight district titles, two Region C Championships, and was VHSL State Runner-up in 2001. After earning all-district honors as a freshman, Poore claimed district and region player of year, All-SWVA, and All-State in her sophomore season.

Poore’s junior campaign at PHHS could be featured as a Hollywood comeback story. After shattering her left femur and injuring her left elbow in a January 2000 car accident, Poore didn’t return to the circle at full strength that spring until the last few games of the regular season. Poore put up a 0.00 ERA in 50 innings of work upon her return. A one-hit shutout against Holston High School in the finals of the Hogoheegee District Tournament was impressive, as were outings in which she held Glenvar High School, Castlewood High School and Coeburn High School in check. Patrick Henry finished as state runner-up, dropping a 3-0 decision to Manassas Park High School in the championship game. Poore pitched a five-hitter and did not allow an earned run in the state championship game.

Poore’s senior campaign featured more awards as she was district, region, and SWVA player of the year as well VHSL State Pitcher of the Year.  Poore was named Smyth County News & Messenger Player of the Year three times. She graduated high school with a miniscule 0.32 ERA over four seasons.

Poore currently teaches Algebra I at Northwood High School and resides in her native Meadowview, Virginia.

 

-11/1/2021