Michelle Cote begins her fifth season as head coach of the Worcester State softball team with an overall record of 79-75-1 (.512).

Last season, Cote guided her team to an 18-18 record and a 9-5 record in the league. The team earned the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament and made an appearance in the semifinals. Cote’s 2017 squad saw a MASCAC Player of the Year, a Worcester Area All-Star Player of the Year, four All-Conference players, two National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) players, and an NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee.

In 2016, she helped her team to its second-consecutive MASCAC regular season championship and also led guided her team to the MASCAC Tournament Championship, in turn, receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA Regional Tournament for their second-ever appearance. Not only were the Lancers the top performers in the MASCAC, but they also received recognition in the ECAC and NFCA as four players were named to the Division III All-Region teams and explosive hitter, Sydney Despres was named the ECAC Division III Player of the Year.

In 2015, Cote was named the MASCAC Champions Choice Coach of the Year for helping the Lancers capture the regular season title and top see in the league playoff tournament.

During her inaugural campaign, she helped the Blue and Gold reach the semifinal round of the MASCAC Tournament.

While on the bench for four years as an assistant coach at Worcester State, Cote guided the squad to four straight appearances in the MASCAC Tournament.

In 2011, the Blue and Gold shared the MASCAC Regular Season title, captured their first-ever MASCAC Tournament Championship and they made their first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance since 1987. WSU also won the league regular season title outright in 2012.

With Cote in the dugout, Worcester State posted four consecutive 20-win seasons and made trips to three of ECAC Division III New England Softball Tournaments – including an appearance in the championship game in 2013.

Previous to coming to Chandler Street, Cote was an assistant coach for her alma mater Assumption (2006-09), she served as a volunteer assistant at Nichols (2005-06) and she was the head softball coach for the Central Mass Xplosion (2004-11).

Cote was a Hall of Fame first baseman at Assumption who earned first-team All-Northeast 10 accolades in all four seasons and she was a three-time ECAC Division North and New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association pick.

During her senior semester, Cote served as a team captain and she was tabbed the squads most valuable player. 

She wrapped up her four seasons as a Greyhound with a career batting average of .457 and a slugging percentage of .690. She is also ranked among the schools leaders in runs (113), hits (205), singles (143), doubles (35), triples (9), home runs (18), stolen bases (52) and runs batted in (128).

During her four years, Cote batted impressive totals of .393, .547, .470 and .475. In her senior year she clubbed nine homers with 47 RBIs. Cote has the distinction of being honored in Assumption Hall of Fame Class of 2007.

Cote received her BA in Psychology in 1995, graduated as a standout high school player out of Coyle Cassidy in Taunton and served for eight years in the US Army Reserve.