Melissa Paul

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Title

Athletics Business Specialist
Email

mpaul3@uco.edu
Phone

405-974-2168

Melissa Paul enters her sixth year at the University of Central Oklahoma and currently serves the role of Athletics Business Specialist.

Paul spent two years serving as an assistant registrar at Central and also helped out as a volunteer assistant coach for the softball program in 2020. She moved into the role of Assistant Athletic Director for Business and Senior Woman Administrator during the summer of 2020 and spent three and a half years serving in that capacity, overseeing the financial operations of the department. As SWA, she served as the lead female voice of the department and worked with the female student-athletes. Paul created the Women's Leadership Council where each sport works together for growth and professional development.

Paul played softball collegiately at Division I Marist and later served as head coach for her alma mater. She coached at Marist from 2002-06, leading the Red Foxes to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship and their first-ever national tournament appearance in her final season.

Melissa then spent seven years as assistant coach at Missouri, helping lead the team to a 288-89 record in that span. The Tigers made three straight appearances in the Women’s College World Series and Paul mentored three All-America selections while coaching the team’s outfielders.

Paul went to Division II West Florida as assistant coach in 2013 before taking over the head coaching reigns the following season. She put together a 138-83 record in four seasons at UWF and led the Argos to three Division II national tournament appearances.

West Florida won 40-plus games twice under Paul’s guidance, including a school-record 46 in 2017 when the Argos captured the South Region title in qualifying for the Division II Softball Championship.

Melissa is married (Andrew) and has one daughter (Ellie).