Waterville, ME - Thomas College Athletics is excited to announce the addition of Bailey Dunphy as an Assistant Softball Coach.

Dunphy grew up in North Anson, Maine and is a graduate of Carrabec High School, where she was a three-sport varsity athlete in soccer, basketball, and softball. She continued her academic and athletic career at Thomas College, graduating in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Communications with a focus in public relations and marketing, and later earning her MBA in December of 2022 while completing her final softball season that spring. Dunphy was a two-time member of the NAC All-Conference First Team (2019, 2021), and was a part of the NAC East All-Conference First Team (2022) at Thomas.

Dunphy was asked what she wish she knew as a college athlete and what advice she would give to current student-athletes. "I wish my perspective was broader as a college athlete. There were times I wanted to just hurry up and graduate; there were times I dreaded going to practices. There were times the pressure to perform weighed a little too heavy on my head. To any current student-athletes, soak up every moment. Spend quality time with your teammates, and approach your season with gratitude. Once it's gone, it's gone! It's such a privilege to be able to play a sport competitively, especially at the college level."

Following graduation, Dunphy joined her family's business, T.T. Dunphy, Inc., and has remained actively involved in the company. She has also cultivated an extensive coaching background, beginning with 14U and 16U travel teams for the Maine Thunder Softball organization during the summers of 2021 and 2022—a program she once played for as a high school athlete. After college, she went on to coach Carrabec's middle school softball team before being named the head varsity softball coach at Carrabec High School, a position she has held for the past two years. Dunphy additionally served as the head softball coach of Waterville AYCC's New England Softball Camp, where she connected with Thomas College Head Softball Coach Jenn Plourde.

When asked what inspired her to get back into coaching and when she realized coaching was the right path for her, Dunphy had this to say: "Once my playing career was over, I missed the environment, my teammates, and working toward a shared goal. My love for the game, my positive experiences I've had through this sport, and my love for a team environment inspired me to coach. The spring following my last season playing, I began coaching Carrabec's middle school softball team. This experience was extremely fulfilling, energizing, and I felt a sense of purpose that I think a lot of college graduates are trying to find. Once that middle school season was over, I tried to continue to create softball opportunities for the players in my home town. I did this not only for the athletes, but also for myself.  I realized that coaching is something I wanted - or even needed - to be a part of my life."

Softball will begin their season in early 2026 and will look to build upon last year's playoff appearance.