Softball
Wilkinson, Chelsea
Chelsea Wilkinson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- cwilkinson@sports.uga.edu
- Phone:
- 706-713-2832
Bulldog great Chelsea Wilkinson made her return to Athens, joining Tony Baldwin's staff prior to the 2022 season. The 2025 season will be the fourth with Wilkinson on staff.
Wilkinson mentored the trio of Shelby Walters, Madison Kerpics, and Lilli Backes in the 2024 season. In her first season in Athens, Backes made an immediate impact, making 46 appearances, pitching 183 innings and going the distance 10 times. She concluded the season with a 3.68 ERA, 18 victories, and six saves with 134 strikeouts.
The 2023 season saw Georgia field All-SEC pitchers Shelby Walters and Madison Kerpics in the circle. The pair became the first Bulldog pitchers to earn all-conference honors in the same season in program history. Under Wilkinson's guidance, Georgia cut its staff ERA by 1.62 points, finishing fifth in the SEC with a 2.43 ERA on the season. The Dogs' sliced their conference ERA to 2.82, a 2.87-point improvement from the previous season. Walters led the staff with a 1.72 ERA and seven saves with 18 wins. Paired with Kerpics' 19 wins and 135 strikeouts, the pair helped guide the Bulldogs to 42 wins and a Super Regional berth.
Georgia combined for three no-hitters in 2023, the most in a single season since 2018. Walters pitched a six-inning no-no against Samford on March 4. Later that month, Walters no-hit Mississippi State, Georgia's first SEC no-hitter since 2009. Four Bulldogs combined to no-hit North Carolina Central in the opening game of the NCAA Athens Regional, Georgia's first NCAA Tournament no-hitter since 2014 and the fourth in the program's postseason history. Walters and Kerpics made program history in April, tossing back-to-back one-hitters against South Carolina, the first time ever accomplishing the feat against an SEC opponent.
Georgia concluded the 2022 season with a 4.05 team ERA, led by a breakout season from Madison Kerpics. The sophomore finished the season with 20 wins, four saves, a 3.09 ERA, and 187 strikeouts. Kerpics improved from just three wins in 15 appearances as a freshman.
Freshman Kylie Macy provided a perfect game against Bryant on Feb. 25 to highlight the 2022 season, the 11th perfect game in Georgia history and the first since 2016 when Wilkinson was part of perfection against Georgia Tech.
Wilkinson returned to Athens following a stint at NC State from 2019-21.
In her first season in Raleigh, Wilkinson helped lead NC State to 31 wins in the regular season and reach the ACC Championship semifinal for the first time since 2013.
Under Wilkinson’s tutelage, Sydney Nester was one of only three ACC pitchers to reach 10 wins in the shortened 2020 season and was ranked a top-40 pitcher by D1Softball. Sam Gress became only the second freshman pitcher in program-history to throw a no-hitter, doing so in five innings against North Carolina A&T that same season. In 2021, Nester (102) and Abby Trahan (98) finished 11th and 12th respectively, in the ACC in strikeouts. Trahan was responsible for 12 of the Pack’s 26 wins.
Nester concluded her Wolf Pack career top 10 in several career categories including strikeouts per seven innings (7.06), wins (31), total strikeouts (344), opponent batting average (.227) and ERA (3.32).
Prior to NC State, she spent one season at South Carolina as a graduate assistant, helping the Gamecocks clinch their first NCAA Super Regional appearance since 2007.
Wilkinson was a star pitcher for the Bulldogs for four seasons from 2013-16.
Wilkinson’s name can be found scattered all over the Georgia record books. She earned NFCA All-America status in 2014, was a three-time All-Southeast Region honoree, and was a four-time All-SEC performer. She was named the MVP of the SEC Tournament after guiding the Bulldogs to their lone tournament title in 2014 in Columbia, South Carolina.
She finished her player career ranked in top 10 categories including wins (97), appearances (173), games started (136), complete games (74), shutouts (35.5), saves (6), innings pitched (839.2), and strikeouts (897).
As a senior in 2016, Wilkinson led the Bulldogs to the Women’s College World Series and was the 14th overall pick in the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Heath, with a concentration in health promotion from the University of Georgia. Wilkinson earned her Masters in Public Health in 2019.
Chelsea married former Georgia Bulldog pitcher Robert Tyler in Oct. 2019. He was a first round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2016 and was a member of the 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
Wilkinson mentored the trio of Shelby Walters, Madison Kerpics, and Lilli Backes in the 2024 season. In her first season in Athens, Backes made an immediate impact, making 46 appearances, pitching 183 innings and going the distance 10 times. She concluded the season with a 3.68 ERA, 18 victories, and six saves with 134 strikeouts.
The 2023 season saw Georgia field All-SEC pitchers Shelby Walters and Madison Kerpics in the circle. The pair became the first Bulldog pitchers to earn all-conference honors in the same season in program history. Under Wilkinson's guidance, Georgia cut its staff ERA by 1.62 points, finishing fifth in the SEC with a 2.43 ERA on the season. The Dogs' sliced their conference ERA to 2.82, a 2.87-point improvement from the previous season. Walters led the staff with a 1.72 ERA and seven saves with 18 wins. Paired with Kerpics' 19 wins and 135 strikeouts, the pair helped guide the Bulldogs to 42 wins and a Super Regional berth.
Georgia combined for three no-hitters in 2023, the most in a single season since 2018. Walters pitched a six-inning no-no against Samford on March 4. Later that month, Walters no-hit Mississippi State, Georgia's first SEC no-hitter since 2009. Four Bulldogs combined to no-hit North Carolina Central in the opening game of the NCAA Athens Regional, Georgia's first NCAA Tournament no-hitter since 2014 and the fourth in the program's postseason history. Walters and Kerpics made program history in April, tossing back-to-back one-hitters against South Carolina, the first time ever accomplishing the feat against an SEC opponent.
Georgia concluded the 2022 season with a 4.05 team ERA, led by a breakout season from Madison Kerpics. The sophomore finished the season with 20 wins, four saves, a 3.09 ERA, and 187 strikeouts. Kerpics improved from just three wins in 15 appearances as a freshman.
Freshman Kylie Macy provided a perfect game against Bryant on Feb. 25 to highlight the 2022 season, the 11th perfect game in Georgia history and the first since 2016 when Wilkinson was part of perfection against Georgia Tech.
Wilkinson returned to Athens following a stint at NC State from 2019-21.
In her first season in Raleigh, Wilkinson helped lead NC State to 31 wins in the regular season and reach the ACC Championship semifinal for the first time since 2013.
Under Wilkinson’s tutelage, Sydney Nester was one of only three ACC pitchers to reach 10 wins in the shortened 2020 season and was ranked a top-40 pitcher by D1Softball. Sam Gress became only the second freshman pitcher in program-history to throw a no-hitter, doing so in five innings against North Carolina A&T that same season. In 2021, Nester (102) and Abby Trahan (98) finished 11th and 12th respectively, in the ACC in strikeouts. Trahan was responsible for 12 of the Pack’s 26 wins.
Nester concluded her Wolf Pack career top 10 in several career categories including strikeouts per seven innings (7.06), wins (31), total strikeouts (344), opponent batting average (.227) and ERA (3.32).
Prior to NC State, she spent one season at South Carolina as a graduate assistant, helping the Gamecocks clinch their first NCAA Super Regional appearance since 2007.
Wilkinson was a star pitcher for the Bulldogs for four seasons from 2013-16.
Wilkinson’s name can be found scattered all over the Georgia record books. She earned NFCA All-America status in 2014, was a three-time All-Southeast Region honoree, and was a four-time All-SEC performer. She was named the MVP of the SEC Tournament after guiding the Bulldogs to their lone tournament title in 2014 in Columbia, South Carolina.
She finished her player career ranked in top 10 categories including wins (97), appearances (173), games started (136), complete games (74), shutouts (35.5), saves (6), innings pitched (839.2), and strikeouts (897).
As a senior in 2016, Wilkinson led the Bulldogs to the Women’s College World Series and was the 14th overall pick in the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Draft.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Heath, with a concentration in health promotion from the University of Georgia. Wilkinson earned her Masters in Public Health in 2019.
Chelsea married former Georgia Bulldog pitcher Robert Tyler in Oct. 2019. He was a first round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2016 and was a member of the 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 3 Postgame Press Conference
Monday, May 26
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 2 Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, May 24
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 2 TV Highlights
Saturday, May 24
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Postgame Press Conference
Friday, May 23
