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Assistant coach Barb Sherwood enters her sixth year on the Hokie coaching staff as the pitching coach. She also doubles as the lead recruiter for the Hokies and in the summer of 2009, she served as the head coach of the NPF’s Akron Racers. As the field manager of the Racers, she led the team to a second-place finish in the regular season, leading to the entire staff earning NPF Coaching Staff of the Year honors. She was also an integral part in helping the Tech staff earn NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors in both 2012 and 2013.

In her first season at Tech, despite having only two healthy arms to work with a majority of the season, she helped lead the Hokies to 28 wins with eight shutouts. She also guided Kenzie Roark to 22 wins and helped lower her ERA almost a full point from the previous season. In 2010, Roark came on strong late and earned ACC All-Tournament honors. In 2011, her two main pitchers combined to win 31 games and tied the school record for saves in a season. In 2012, Jasmin Harrell won 31 games with a career-low ERA and earned second-team all-region as well as state pitcher of the year honors. Last year, a trio of pitchers helped lead Tech to the NCAA Regional Finals and helped produce upset wins over nationally ranked UCLA, Arizona, Michigan and Kentucky during the season.

Prior to moving to Blacksburg, Sherwood spent a season as the pitching and catching coach at Florida State University, but after long-time head coach Dr. JoAnne Graf retired following the season, she became a top candidate for Tech’s open position on the staff. Before her season at FSU, the Pensacola, Fla., native spent two seasons with the University of Wisconsin as an assistant and serving as the pitching and catching coach.

Sherwood began her coaching career at Troy University in 1998 as a student assistant coach, but quickly moved to the graduate assistant level the following year. Upon receiving her Master’s degree in education in 2000, the former four-year letterwinning catcher and team captain was named the top assistant at her alma mater. Sherwood also served as the recruiting coordinator for the Trojans, adding top players such as Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year Jocelyn McCallum and four-year Canadian National Team catcher Tamra Howren. 

During the 2005 season, Sherwood’s pitchers achieved a notable 1.45 ERA with two individuals notching 20 wins. That year, both pitchers were named all-conference performers as well. In 2006 Sherwood made the leap from Alabama to Wisconsin, to join the Badgers’ coaching staff as an assistant and the pitching and catching coach. While there, Wisconsin’s pitching staff ERA was ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten for the 2007 season.

In her lone season at Florida State, she helped senior pitcher Tiffany McDonald earn All-ACC honors as she posted 18 wins and 244 strikeouts in leading FSU to the NCAA Tournament.

Sherwood earned a degree in physical education from Troy in 1999 and a Master’s in education in 2000. She was a three-time team captain and helped lead the Trojans to the 1996 Mid-Continent Conference championship and a berth in the 1996 NCAA Tournament.

A native of Pensacola, Fla., Sherwood graduated from Escambia High and was named Miss Escambia in 1994.