Haylie Brunson joins Youngstown State softball staff as assistant coach

Southwest Pennsylvania native and Penn State graduate Haylie Brunson has joined the Youngstown State softball program as an assistant coach, head coach Erin Pond announced on Thursday.

Brunson, who played two seasons apiece at Pitt and Penn State, is continuing her coaching career in Youngstown after spending the 2026 season at Longwood. Her primary duty with the Penguins will be running the defense, while also assisting with the offense. Brunson joins returning assistants Taylor Farmer and Elyssa Imler on Pond’s first staff at YSU.

“We are so proud to have Haylie Brunson join our staff and university,” Pond said. “Haylie’s alignment with the program’s culture is undeniable. She has a strategic vision that will propel our recruiting footprint forward with her many high-level recruiting connections.”

“Haylie is fiercely competitive and has a relentless work ethic that has been consistently proven during her playing and coaching career at the Division I level,” Pond continued. “More importantly, her ability to connect with student-athletes will elevate our team to new heights.”

Brunson began her coaching career at Longwood during the 2025-26 academic year, helping the Lancers win 21 games, including two against the Penguins in late February and early March. Brunson ran team operations, including technology, camps and travel, and assisted with Longwood’s defense, offense and recruiting. The Lancers raised their batting average by 11 points with Brunson on staff, and their outfielders went from no assists in 2025 to 16 in 2026. Brunson helped in the development of four All-Big South players, one All-Freshman Team selection and one NFCA Second-Team All-Mid Atlantic nod.

As a student-athlete, Brunson played four seasons at the Power Four level, spending 2022 and 2023 at Pitt and 2024 and 2025 at Penn State. She hit .283, slugged .495 and posted 24 home runs and 40 doubles across her four-year career.

She finished her career by earning Second-Team All-Big Ten and NFCA third team all-region honors as a senior for the Nittany Lions. That season, she batted .345 and posting a 1.049 OPS with 13 homers, 13 doubles and 49 RBIs. Her 13 homers tied for the team lead and tied for fourth all-time at Penn State. Additionally, her 49 RBIs were the second-most in program history. As a junior, Brunson helped the Nittany Lions to a 35-20 record and their first appearance in the NCAA Regional in 13 years.

Brunson had a decorated career at Mount Pleasant Area High School, capped by leading Vikings to the 2021 3A PIAA state championship her senior year. She hit .560 with 41 RBIs and 31 extra-base hits in 2021 and added to her individual resume by being named first-team all-state. Her father, Chris, was her high school coach before becoming the head softball coach at Division III Waynesburg University.

Academically, Brunson was named All-Big Ten Academic and Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators at Penn State. She was an NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete twice in her career, once at Pitt and once at Penn State. Brunson earned her bachelor’s degree in labor and human resources from Penn State in 2025.