Mackenzie Byrd

Mackenzie Byrd is in her fourth season as head coach of the softball program at East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), and her fifth year overall with the program. She began by serving as an assistant coach during the 2022 season, then was elevated to interim head coach for the 2023 season and subsequently had the interim designation removed after EMCC posted its winningest season in five years. Under Coach Byrd’s leadership, the Lions made a postseason appearance for the first time in eight years and recorded double-digit conference wins (for the first time since 2018). Over her first two seasons leading the program, the team achieved 31 overall wins, marking the best two-year total since 2017-18. Under her tenure, 10 players have moved on to compete at four-year institutions. Off the field, the program has also achieved high academic marks—earning NJCAA All-Academic Team honors and achieving a composite team GPA of 3.79 during the 2023-24 academic year, which ranked 5th nationally and highest in the MACCC. Byrd spent her playing days at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and Alabama State University as a middle infielder. During her senior season at Alabama State she was part of the 2019 SWAC Tournament Championship team and earned SWAC All-Academic Team honors while completing her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies (minors in management and communications). At Greene County High School (Leakesville, Mississippi), she was a multi-sport athlete (softball, basketball, track & cross country), a four-year letterwinner in softball and a two-time team captain. Her early coaching and development work included serving as a softball instructor and travel-ball coach while finishing her collegiate career and after graduation. Byrd is a native of Richton, Mississippi.