Adriane Baird Joins Wellesley as Assistant Softball Coach

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Keri O'Meara, Head Softball Coach and Associate Professor of the Practice in the Department of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics (PERA) at Wellesley College, has announced the hiring of Adriane Baird as Assistant Softball Coach Wellesley College. Baird officially joined the Wellesley community on September 1, 2023.

Baird comes to Wellesley after serving as the Head Softball Coach for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) since 2019 and has coached nine NFCA Scholar-Athletes and one All-MASCAC student-athlete. While at MCLA, Baird menotred assistant coaches, recruited high caliber student-athletes, increased engagement with program alumnae, and revamped the team's social media presence. Baird has served as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development since 2019 and was the Coordinator for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Baird is no stranger to the NEWMAC, having previously been an Assistant Softball Coach at Smith College from 2017-19. During her time at Smith, Baird co-taught an undergraduate course titled "Introduction to Coaching".

Baird was also a math teacher as well as the Head Softball Coach and Assistant Field Hockey Coach from 2015-17 at Choate Rosemary Hall, a school in Wallingford, Conn. for talented students in grades nine through postgraduate.

When not coaching collegiately, Baird has worked as a Camp Instructor/Evaluator for Triple Crown Fastpitch, providing coaching instruction to campers on hitting, fielding, and baserunning in addition to evaluating prospective recruits on skill and coachability. Baird has taken part in several NFCA coaching seminars, attended the ESPNW Summit in May 2021, and attended workshops about difficult race discussions among collegiate student-athletes.

A 2015 graduate of Bowdoin College with a degree in Gender and Women's Studies, Baird earned a MS in Exercise and Sport Science from Smith in 2019. While at Bowdoin, Baird was a four-year member of the softball team, and was a two time All-NESCAC honoree, a NESCAC All-Academic honoree, and holds Bowdoin's program record for single season doubles with 15.

Wellesley Athletics strives for excellence at the conference, regional, and national levels, while providing opportunities for students to achieve their potential and learn the values of discipline, leadership, critical thinking, and responsibility to oneself and others.