Christina Gwyn hired as UNT Pitching Coach

cousin oliver · June 26, 2023

DENTON, Texas – UNT softball head coach Rodney DeLong announced on Monday the hiring of Christina Gwyn as the program’s new pitching coach.

Gwyn had spent the last six seasons as the head softball coach at Keller High School. She joins the Mean Green after leading Keller to the 2023 UIL Texas 6A Region finals. It marked the third time she had taken Keller to the region title game — the 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019 she led Keller to a top 15 national ranking and the state semifinals.

In six seasons as Keller’s head coach, Gwyn won 155 total games. They won 30 or more games three times, including 35 this past season. Keller went 14-0 in district this season, which was the second time in her tenure the Indians went undefeated in district.

“I am very excited about what Christina will bring to our program,” DeLong said. “After pitching at a high level, her experience in running a very successful program is extremely valuable to me. She is great coach and even better person. Our pitching staff will be in good hands. I am excited about our future as we continue to raise the bar for our program.”

Gwyn will take over a North Texas pitching staff that had a 2.13 earned run average last season, which ranked tied for 21st in the nation and second-best in the league. UNT pitchers Ashley Peters and McKenzie Wagoner each ranked individually in the top 25 in the nation in earned run average and No. 1 and No. 2 in the league.

While at Keller High School, Gwyn mentored many outstanding arms, but most notably the program’s all-time winningest pitcher Dylann Kaderka who won 81 games while in high school, was a two-time all-area pitcher of the year, a two-time all-star and was named as the Dallas Morning News’ 2019 Pitcher of the Year after posting a 25-2 record with a 1.58 ERA during what was her senior season. Kaderka went on to Grayson College where she was the 2021 NJCAA DI Pitcher of the Year as she led the NJCAA with 31 wins and was later named the NJCAA Softball World Series Most Outstanding Pitcher.

“I am beyond excited to represent the University of North Texas this upcoming season,” Gwyn said. “It is a blessing to join Coach Delong’s staff and work with the amazing student-athletes that represent this great university.“

UNT softball is coming off a 35-win season and reached the championship game of the Conference USA Tournament. Under DeLong’s leadership (five seasons), the Mean Green have won three conference championships and in 2022 UNT won its first ever NCAA Softball Tournament game and reached the regional final.

Softball had seven players this past season named all-conference, including Wagoner — second team — who will return next season for her senior year.

Gwyn is a 2008 graduate from BYU. She ranked in the top 10 in every career and single season BYU pitching category when she graduated. She threw the program’s first no hitter during her senior season and led the Cougars to back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances. Prior to playing at BYU, Gwyn-Barton played for Texas where she was teammates with three-time gold medalist pitcher Cat Osterman.

Gwyn graduated from Keller High School where she was a 5A Texas State Champion and was the State Tournament MVP. She was a first-team Academic All-American and a three-time District MVP pitcher. In 2013 she was inducted into the Keller High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Prior to coaching at her alma mater, Gwyn-Barton also coached at Little Elm High School and McKinney Boyd High School.

Olympic Sport Passes for next season's Mean Green soccer, volleyball and softball seasons are available now. Fans can purchase a general admission Olympic Sport Pass for 75 dollars to get season tickets to all three teams. For an upgraded option, fans can purchase the soccer reserved pass for 125 dollars for premium seating.

Olympic Sport Passes can be purchased here.