Karin Gadberry began as Park University Gilbert's head softball and women's cross country coach in 2018, tasked with building the two programs for competition in the 2019-20 academic year. She was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director Head Softball coach in November 2019. The inaugural 2020 season was cut short due to the global pandemic in which the Buccaneers finished the season with a 7-14 record. The program picked up the first win against Benedictine-Mesa and won its first ever historical game against Park (Mo.) at the Sterling Softball Scramble tournament
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Gadberry was the volunteer assistant softball coach at Grand Canyon University for the 2018 season where she worked primarily with the catchers helping the Lopes to a runner up finish at the WAC Conference tournament. Prior to her time at GCU she served as the senior woman administrator and head softball coach at New Mexico Highlands University.
At New Mexico Highlands, the Cowgirls made the RMAC Conference tournament two times (2015, 2017) in her four seasons at the helm. Prior to their first visit in 2015, the Cowgirls had not made post season play in 10 years. In 2015, the RMAC Summit Award was given for the first time ever to a Highlands softball player. In addition, during her time with the Cowgirls she served as the Co-Interim Director of Athletics in 2015 overseeing sports as well as the strength and conditioning and sports information offices, advising the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, as well as serving on several committees across the campus.
She joined the Cowgirls from West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery, West Virginia, where she was the head coach of the Golden Bears for the three seasons (2011-2013).
During her time at WVU Tech, she led the Golden Bears to a school record 29 wins in 2012. Under Gadberry's leadership, the team's grade point average improved every year, following her high standards of dedication and leadership on the field and in the classroom. She left as the all-time leader in wins as a head coach for the Golden Bear softball program with 62 victories in three years. Her 2013 team made the school’s first ever appearance in the USCAA College World Series and finished in fifth place.
Gadberry is a native of Puyallup, Washington, and graduated from Sumner High School in 2001. After high school, she signed to play softball for NCAA Division I Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana, a member of the Southland Conference. Gadberry was one of the best power hitters and catchers in Southeastern's history. A four-year letter winner with the Lions, Gadberry set records in single season and career home runs, slugging percentage, walks, extra base hits, career RBI's and holds the longest hitting streak in school history. Three times she was named to the Louisiana All-State Softball team and was a two-time Southland All-Conference catcher. In September 2019 Gadberry was elected into the Southeastern Louisiana Athletic Hall of Fame, becoming the 5th softball player to do so joining former teammates Sarah Gascon and Rachel Ray.
Gadberry became an assistant coach at Southeastern after completing her bachelor’s degree in Health and Kinesiology. She began as the strength and conditioning coach for the Lions’ women athletes while coaching with the softball program. During her five years as an assistant at Southeastern, she developed the skills to establish and manage a winning program.
Her role as a strength and conditioning coach helped her form an understanding of the dedication and discipline that is required of student-athletes to excel on and off the field. Gadberry sees this as a pillar of her softball programs and instills these tools in her student-athletes, as exemplified by having coached an NFCA Scholar Athlete award winner and multiple All-Americans. She ensures that her players perform to high standards academically and that they participate in forming a bond with the community. Gadberry has won over a hundred games during her head coaching career.
Gadberry finished her master’s degree in Organizational Leadership in 2012 from Columbia Southern University. She is a 2013 NCAA Women's Coaches Academy graduate, a 2014 IAA West Women Leaders in College Sports graduate, and is a member of the NFCA, Alliance of Women’s Coaches and the Women Leaders in College Sports organization.
Karin is married to Alex Gadberry and they have a 5 year old son Alex Jr and reside in Mesa.
