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CARLA SHEPHERD

Carla Shepherd-Devereaux is a nationally respected elite pitching coach, minority women-owned business owner, and former ACC saves leader renowned for transforming pitching staffs and elevating softball programs at every level of collegiate athletics.

From (2017–2023) at UMBC, Shepherd-Devereaux played a pivotal role in one of the most successful eras in program history. She was instrumental in recruiting and developing All-American pitcher Courtney Coppersmith, who became UMBC’s All-Time strikeouts leader (1,023 strikeouts) and helped lead the Retrievers to four straight America East Championships (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023) and four NCAA Regional Tournament appearances. In 2022, UMBC’s pitching staff under Coach Shepherd-Devereaux’s guidance was ranked Top 25 nationally with a 2.23 Team ERA-establishing the program as a mid-major powerhouse. She also recruited and coached UMBC’s first professional softball pitcher, Jerzie Nutile, who signed with the Florida Heat in 2025.

Before UMBC, Shepherd-Devereaux made an immediate impact at Coppin State University, guiding the Eagles to their winningest season since 2012. Under her leadership, the team lowered its ERA by nearly two full runs, while standout pitcher, Madison Didion, improved her ERA by three runs and earned MEAC All-Conference honors.

Her ability to engineer dramatic turnarounds continued at Shepherd University, where she orchestrated one of the region’s most striking pitching improvements. In just one season, she helped lower the Rams’ ERA from 4.53 to an outstanding 2.44, doubled their shutouts, and cut home runs allowed from 39 to just 6. She mentored Mountain East Conference First Team honoree and Shepherd’s Female Athlete of the Year, Kaitlin Munda, who went (21–5) in 2016 season as the Rams captured the (MEC) North Division title.
Shepherd-Devereaux’s coaching journey includes 15 years of collegiate coaching experience at George Mason, South Dakota State, Occidental College, and LSU Eunice. She has coached at all NCAA levels—Division I, II, and III. She currently serves as the pitching coach at Mount de Sales Academy, a premier Catholic college-preparatory high school for young women in Catonsville, MD.

Coach Shepherd-Devereaux is the founder of Skye’s the Limit, LLC, a minority women-owned business, where she provides elite-level fastpitch pitching instruction from her home training facility. Her business reflects her mission of empowering young women through confidence building, mentorship and high-performance training.

A Miami, Florida native, Shepherd-Devereaux began her collegiate career at the College of Charleston before starring at NC State, where she led the ACC in saves and earned Georgia Tech Tournament MVP honors. She later concluded her playing career at Sewanee: The University of the South, setting the program’s single-season strikeout record and posting a dominant 1.66 ERA.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History with a concentration in education from Sewanee and a master’s degree in sports management from Southeastern Louisiana University. She resides in Annapolis, Maryland, with her husband Brad and their daughter, Skye.