North Carolina State University Athletics
Softball
Mar 10 (Tue)
5pm
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- cnwilkin@ncsu.edu
- Phone:
- (919) 515-2861
A former standout at Georgia (2013-16), Wilkinson serves as the program’s pitching coach. She comes to Raleigh after a one-year stint at South Carolina as a graduate assistant, helping the Gamecocks clinch their first NCAA Super Regional appearance since 2007.
“Chelsea knows what it takes to get to Oklahoma City as a pitcher and that's our goal, to finish each season there,” said Patrick-Swift upon her hiring. “She spent last year as part of a great coaching staff at South Carolina, and we have a lot of respect for what they do down there.
“She’s a homegrown product who was named North Carolina Player of the Year twice. I could feel her excitement about coming home and taking our pitching staff to the top of the ACC.
“In this process we were looking for the right fit and Chelsea absolutely checked all the boxes.”
Wilkinson was a part of helping lead NC State to 31 wins during the 2019 regular season and reach the ACC Championship semifinals for the first time since 2013. Wilkinson has been instrumental in the development of NC State pitcher, Sydney Nester. Nester finished the shortened 2020 season as one of the top pitchers in the ACC with a 10-4 record. Nester was one of only three ACC pitchers to compile 10 wins in the shortened season and was ranked the #39 pitcher in the NCAA by D1Softball. Under Wilkinson's guidance, Sam Gress became only the second freshman pitcher in program-history to throw a no-hitter, doing so in five-innings against North Carolina A&T.
A Taylorsville, N.C., native, Wilkinson finished her collegiate career among the top three of Georgia’s record books in seven pitching categories, and ranks seventh overall in Bulldog history with a 2.28 earned-run average. She completed her career with 97 wins to rank second all-time among the program, as she threw 35.5 shutouts including eight no-hitters and three perfect games.
"I’m so excited to be joining the Wolfpack family,” said Wilkinson upon her hiring. “I’m honored to become part of such an admirable softball program and university. I would like to thank the administration, as well as Coach Patrick-Swift, for this incredible opportunity. I’m eager to take the field with this tremendous coaching staff and group of student-athletes."
As a senior, Wilkinson led her team to the Women’s College World Series and was the 14th overall pick in the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft. She collected All-SEC honors in each of her four years, garnered All-Region honors in her final three seasons and as a sophomore was named the SEC Tournament MVP and a Second Team All-American.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in public heath, concentration in health promotion, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in public heath, concentration in health services and policy management. Wilkinson earned her masters in public health in 2021.
Her coaching experience also includes working as the lead pitching instructor for Heat Baseball, a baseball and softball instructional organization in Conover, N.C., for the past year.
