Lakeway Christian Academy hires former Lady Vol Ellen Renfroe Reed to coach softball

MORRISTOWN – Lakeway Christian Academy added another big name to its staff, announcing the hiring of former Lady Vol Ellen Renfroe Reed to coach softball.

Reed was a two-time All-American and helped Tennessee to a runner-up finish in the 2013 Women's College World Series.

Most recently, Reed served on the staff at Louisiana Lafayette, which finished the 2018 season with a 41-16 record. She was also the head coach at Bethel College and an assistant at Memphis.

Since graduating high school at Trinity Christian Academy in Jackson, Reed has wanted to be in the school system. She won't be teaching, but will be working in the school in some form, possibly in the guidance office.

"I love being around college athletes," Reed said, "but more than anything I loved the moments, I got to spend with them off the field."

Lakeway offers Reed exactly what she and her husband John, a UT and Walters State alumnus, are looking for: a chance to be in the school, a Christian school at that, in East Tennessee. They both know and love the area. They're outdoors people — he loves to fish — and they can watch the Vols.

"On a spiritual level, Lakeway being a Christian school and hearing how God has worked through them to get the school going," Reed said. "To mentor young girls in a faith-based way and coach softball, how perfect can this be."

Reed wants to pass on the lessons that her parents taught her and then that Ralph and Karen Weekly reinforced: the expectation of excellence.

"In my house, I was told 'The Lord has given you great ability and a chance to go to a great school,'" Reed said. "'So you need to do the best, because that what Jesus deserves in return for those gifts.'"

Reed finished her career at UT with a 1.65 ERA, 41 shutouts and two no-hitters. She is one of three players to win 30 games in a season.

Lakeway is a new private school opening this fall in Morristown, initially as part of Cornerstone Academy. It plans to play an independent schedule this year and then join the TSSAA.

Previously, Lakeway hired former Vanderbilt assistant Bruce Fowler as football coach and athletic director, and former Riverdale coach Randy Coffman as girls basketball coach. Reed is the second UT alum on the staff, joining football assistant Troy Fleming.

Reed called it a honor to work with coaches of that caliber, but added it's an even better opportunity for the 26-year-old to learn from them and use that to help her own players.