After five years away, Brandi Dannelly returned for her second stint on the Central Arkansas coaching staff in May 2016.
Dannelly, formerly Brandi Vondenstein, was an assistant coach for the Bears for three years from June of 2008 to August of 2011.Â
"I'm so happy to have Brandi back," said Kuhn. "She is professional, organized, loyal, she cares about her players, and she loves teaching softball and life skills. She will be a tremendous asset to our program on and off the field."
Dannelly began her college coaching career with Kuhn at Delta State, serving as an assistant coach for the Lady Statesmen for three years (2006-2008. )During her time in Cleveland, Mississippi, she and Kuhn helped guide Delta State to a record of 121-75.
In 2009, she followed Kuhn to Conway where she spent three seasons helping him rebuild the softball program at Central Arkansas, helping the Bears improve their win total in each of her three years on the coaching staff. In her time with the Bears, she coached an Easton All-American, 3 NFCA All-Region players, 3 CoSIDA Academic-All District players, and 12 All-Southland Conference selections, including the league's Pitcher and Hitter of the Year in 2009 and 11.
Following the 2011 season, she accepted a position at Georgian Court University, a Division II school in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, where she served as an assistant on husband McKewn Dannelly's staff. She helped guide the Lions to a combined record of 65-48 during two seasons, including a pair of appearances in the CACC Tournament.
Dannelly then spent the 2014 season coaching Carolina Forrest High School in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Dannelly started her collegiate playing career at Northeast Mississippi Community College, where she spent two seasons (2002-03). She helped lead the Lady Tigers to a record of 58-29, including a 28-4 record in division play. She earned NFCA All-Region Louisville Slugger, NJCAA All-American, MACJC All-State, and NFCA All-South Region honors during her sophomore season. She became the first softball player to be inducted into the NEMCC Hall of Fame in 2012.
She then continued her playing career for Kuhn at Delta State, (2003-2005) making 112 starts for the Lady Statesmen over the next two seasons. Dannelly was an All-Gulf South Conference honoree during her time in Cleveland, and earned All-Academic honors, in addition to being awarded the Hollbrook Award for Academic Distinction by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of the State Institutions for Higher Learning.
