Alyssa Richards joined the Purple Aces and Head Coach Bailey Dillender as an assistant softball coach in July of 2025. She has worked with Coach Dillender at the University of the Cumberlands since 2017 where she worked with pitchers and catchers while also assisting with the hitters. Under her tutelage, Patriots pitchers recorded an earned run average of 2.78 or lower every season since 2021. In 2023, the team wrapped up the year with a 1.80 ERA while the 2022 squad finished with a 2.01.
Prior to joining the Patriots, Richards wrapped up a four-year playing career at Tennessee Tech University where she split time between first base and catcher. Richards played in 209 games, while notching 159 hits, 30 home runs, and 22 doubles over her four-year career at Tennessee Tech. She also recorded 105 RBIs, while posting a .280 career batting average. In 2015, Richards helped lead the Golden Eagles to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Richards was also named OVC First Team All-Conference during her senior season.
Richards graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Multi-Disciplinary Studies with a focus in Special Education and Physical Education from Tennessee Tech in May 2016. She also graduated with her Master's Degree in Health and Human Performance and Coaching from Cumberlands in May 2021.
