Duo joins Dillender from University of the Cumberlands
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville head softball coach Bailey Dillender has announced the hiring of assistant coaches Alyssa Richards and Mia Aldridge.
Both join the Purple Aces from the University of the Cumberlands where they worked with Coach Dillender to lead the Patriots to a 138-23 mark over the last three seasons while going 62-1 in Mid-South Conference games during that time. UC advanced to the NAIA World Series in each of those campaigns.
“I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to bring Coach Richards and Coach Mia with me to Evansville,” Dillender exclaimed. “We have created over the last several years such an incredible bond and work environment together that I truly couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone but them.”
Dillender, Richards, and Aldridge have been selected as the Region VI Coaching Staff of the Year in each of the previous three seasons including the 2025 campaign that saw them go 40-9 and a perfect 18-0 in conference play.
“Coach Rich is unique in her ability to manage our pitching staff and build relationships across the board. Her ability and patience to really break the game down and share her vision for how she wants things done coupled with her extensive knowledge of the game makes her dynamic in all areas,” Dillender continued. “Coach Mia, who has been with us for the last 4 years at Cumberlands is a winner, with an amazing amount of knowledge and playing experience in literally all areas of the field. She pitched, was an All-Conference infielder and outfielder that gives us another resource and skill set to reach all corners of our locker room.”
Richards joined Dillender as an assistant coach at UC in 2017. She worked with pitchers and catchers while also assisting with the hitters. Under her tutelage, Patriots pitchers recorded an earned run average of 2.78 or lower every season since 2021. In 2023, the team wrapped up the year with a 1.80 ERA while the 2022 squad finished with a 2.01.
Prior to joining the Patriots, Richards wrapped up a four-year playing career at Tennessee Tech University where she split time between first base and catcher. Richards played in 209 games, while notching 159 hits, 30 home runs, and 22 doubles over her four-year career at Tennessee Tech. She also recorded 105 RBIs, while posting a .280 career batting average. In 2015, Richards helped lead the Golden Eagles to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Richards was also named OVC First Team All-Conference during her senior season.
Richards graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Multi-Disciplinary Studies with a focus in Special Education and Physical Education from Tennessee Tech in May 2016. She also graduated with her Master’s Degree in Health and Human Performance and Coaching from Cumberlands in May 2021.
Aldridge joined Dillender’s staff at Cumberlands in July of 2021. She coordinated the outfield defense while assisting with hitters, pitchers, recruiting, and opponent scouting. One part of the game that Aldridge specializes in is stolen bases. In three of the last four seasons, UC has broken the single-season school record for stolen bases. In her first season with the Patriots in 2022, UC accumulated 108 steals. Two years later, the squad finished with 122 before resetting the record with 124 steals in 2025.
She joined UC after spending five seasons at Campbellsville University where she was a softball student-athlete while working in their sports information department. During her playing career, CU won three conference titles including both the Regular Season and Tournament Championship in 2021. Every complete season Aldridge competed for the Tigers they made the NAIA postseason where they also boasted 35+ win seasons.
in her career she took home First Team MSC honors three times both in the infield and outfield. Aldridge appears in the CU record book 17 times for her top-ten single season and career numbers. Her top-ten rankings include first in career walks (89), first in career fielding percentage (.993), sixth in career runs scored (157), eighth in career doubles (37), eighth in career total bases (309) and eighth in career stolen bases (27).
Aldridge obtained her undergraduate degree at Campbellsville, studying Sport Management. She received her master’s degree in Coaching from Cumberlands and also has an MBA.
“Rich and Mia are exceptional young coaches but even better humans,” Dillender said. “I look forward to watching them continue to grow as professionals at UE, but mostly love the fact that our Purple Aces get to interact and learn from them daily.”
