GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball head coach Janelle Breneman has announced the hiring of Kendra Kirkhoff to her staff. She will serve as the UNCG pitching coach.
 
Prior to UNCG, Kirkhoff spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Central Florida. She was also a volunteer assistant coach at Florida State during its 2018 national championship season.
 
"Kendra is a great addition to our Spartan softball program," Breneman said. "As an athlete, I distinctly remember Kendra as leader and a standout pitcher and hitter for North Carolina. She is a person of character, and her passion for enhancing our student athletes and our program is evident." 
 
In three seasons with the Knights, Kirkhoff has helped UCF to a 96-45-2 (.671) record, including a 41-19-1 record in 2021, marking the seventh time in program history that the Knights have finished with 40 or more wins. UCF's pitching staff had a 2.45earned run average with 16 shutouts.
 
UCF was the American runner-up and earned the program's eighth NCAA Tournament bid in 2021. UCF advanced to the regional final before falling to eventual national runner-up Florida State.
 
During the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign, the Knights were tabbed as high as No. 22 in the ESPN/USA Softball and NFCA/USA Today Top 25 Polls and No. 7 in the initial release of the NCAA RPI.
 
"I am so excited to join the Spartans," Kirkhoff said. "It is a great program with a tremendous record of success, led by an awesome coaching staff.  I am honored to join such a great program."

Prior to Florida State, Kirkhoff wrapped up an outstanding four-year career at North Carolina, where the dual-threat pitcher and outfielder earned NFCA Second Team All-American honors in 2017 after batting .374 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI at the plate and posting a record of 11-4 in the circle as the Tar Heels reached the NCAA Regional finals.

A left-handed power hitter, she improved every season and was called upon to become UNC's primary pitcher during her junior season, where she would go on to break five single-season pitching records. Saw action as an outfielder early in her career, before transitioning to a full-time pitcher as a junior and finally the Tar Heels' primary DP in 2017.

In her four-year career, Kirkhoff appeared in 208 total games, starting 206 of them. She totaled 188 hits, 32 doubles, a triple, 52 home runs, 168 RBIs, 378 total bases, 81 walks, seven sacrifice bunts, four sac flies and just 52 strikeouts over 587 at-bats. She Finished second all-time at UNC in career slugging percentage, home runs and RBIs, third in total bases and eighth in walks

Kirkhoff is just the second Tar Heel ever to have at least as many home runs as strikeouts, with 52 of each. In the circle, Kirkhoff made 114 pitching appearances, going 45-29 with a 4.42 ERA and 280 strikeouts over 496.0 innings. In her 84 starts, tossed 39 complete games, including six shutouts, allowing 313 earned runs and just 163 walks, as batters hit .298 against her.
 
"Kendra has been a part of a national championship team at FSU, and has had tremendous success at UCF.  We welcome Kendra's pitching knowledge and expertise to our team. I am eager to work with Kendra and welcome her and her husband David to our Spartan family."