DETROIT (8/27/2019) -- University of Detroit Mercy head softball coach Marc Gillis has announced his coaching staff for the defending Horizon League champions as Michelle Lovell and Steve Troy join returning graduate assistant coach Samantha Henderson. 

Henderson is in her fourth year as a coach with her alma mater. She was part of a coaching staff that helped previous head coach John Conway completely turn around the program to win the Horizon League title in 2019 and record 31 wins, the most since 1991. 

"We are very fortunate to have Samantha back as a graduate assistant this year," said Gillis. "Sam is a workaholic who hates to lose. It wasn't that long ago Sam was playing here and it is great for our student-athletes to be exposed to a former Titan player who exhibits such a strong work ethic in connection with making our players better and building our program."

Lovell spent the last nine seasons as an assistant coach at Florida Southern and has also coached at Hillsdale College. In her nine seasons with FSC, she helped the program to 190 wins, two NCAA Tournament appearances and a share of the conference championship. At Hillsdale, she helped the team back to the GLIAC tournament after a three-year hiatus. 

As a player at Florida Southern, she was a .304 career hitter, finishing with 190 hits, 133 runs scored, seven home runs and 109 RBI, guiding the team to three conference titles, three NCAA Tournament runs ending with a third-place finish in 2006 and fourth in 2007. 

"Michelle brings us a wide array of experience, including experience as an outstanding college player, in the NPF, and over a decade of college coaching," said Gillis. "In the short time we have been working together, she has proven to be very dedicated and committed to building the program here at Detroit Mercy."

Troy joins the squad as a volunteer assistant coach after working the last 17 years with the softball program at Our Lady of the Lakes High School in Waterford. He was an assistant coach from 2002-09 before taking over head coaching duties in 2009, where he was tabbed Coach of the Year five times. 

He would lead the program to six conference titles, five Catholic League championships, six district championships and two regional crowns in his head coaching tenure. 

"Steve has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success at the high school level and is prepared for the next step and challenge in his coaching career," said Gillis. "He had many options when it came to his next opportunity, but, he made it very clear he wanted to be part of the Detroit Mercy softball program."

"We were very fortunate to attract three coaches who are passionate and committed to working with our student-athletes and making them better on the field and in the classroom, while continuing to build the championship program here at Detroit Mercy," added Gillis.