Hardaway alum Aileen Morales named Georgia Tech softball coach

One of the greatest softball players in Muscogee County history took a huge step in her coaching career on Wednesday.

Former Hardaway softball player Aileen Morales is returning to her college alma mater to become the new head softball coach at Georgia Tech. Morales, who played for the Yellow Jackets from 2005 to 2008, becomes the program’s sixth head coach after spending the last two seasons as Radford University’s head coach.

Prior to her stint at Radford, Morales spent two seasons as head coach at Young Harris. She joins the Georgia Tech program with a 113-105 coaching record.

“It’s with great excitement for the future of Georgia Tech softball that I welcome Aileen Morales back to The Flats as head coach,” Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury said. “For nine seasons, Aileen was a major part of the most successful stretch in Georgia Tech softball history, first as a student-athlete, then as an assistant coach. I am confident that she is the right person to lead our program back to the national prominence that it has enjoyed for much of this millennium.”

Morales had an outstanding career at Hardaway High School, which included a Class 4A state championship in 2003. She graduated high school a semester early to play at Georgia Tech, where she promptly hit .296 with a pair of home runs and an ACC-leading 44 stolen bases as a freshman.

She left Georgia Tech as a three-time All-ACC honoree as a middle infielder. She still holds program records for games played (265), starts (265), at-bats (850) and stolen bases (154). After her college days, Morales spent two seasons playing with the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch League. Her rookie season saw the Bandits take home a championship.

Morales re-joined the Georgia Tech program as an assistant coach in 2009 and stayed on staff for five seasons. During that time, the Yellow Jackets captured four ACC regular-season titles, eight NCAA regionals and an NCAA Super Regional in 2009.

Morales still has ties to the city of Columbus, with her parents Rey and Jenny Morales and younger sister Hannah still in the area. Hannah is a softball player at Columbus High School.

“I want to thank athletics director Todd Stansbury, senior woman administrator Joeleen Akin and the search committee for the faith they have put in me to lead the Georgia Tech softball program,” Morales said. “It is an honor to return to The Flats, where my heart has always been. With great passion, I will work to build our Yellow Jacket program back to ACC and national prominence. I look forward to developing our student-athletes to achieve excellence in the classroom, on the field and in life.”

This story was originally published June 8, 2017 at 2:53 PM with the headline "Hardaway alum Aileen Morales named Georgia Tech softball coach."