Head Coach Cat Tarvin

Cat Tarvin | Head Coach

Cat Tarvin was named the head coach of the North Carolina Central University softball program in September of 2021. She served as the NCCU interim softball head coach in 2020-21 and was an assistant coach for the Eagles the three seasons prior to that from 2017-2020.

In 2023, Tarvin was named MEAC Coach of the Year just before she mentored the Eagles to their first-ever MEAC Softball Championship. NCCU went 12-7 in league play in 2023, which is a new program MEAC-era record for conference wins. She then earned Most Outstanding Coach honors in the 2023 MEAC Softball Championship as the Eagles won four games on the way to winning the league title, including a 6-2 win in the title game over Coppin State. NCCU also secured its first bid to the NCAA DI Softball Championship (Athens Regional) in 2023 under the guidence of Tarvin. 

In her first three seasons as head coach, Tarvin has a winning record in conference play. NCCU softball has had its most successful era of NCAA Division I softball over the past six seasons that Tarvin has been coaching the Eagles.

In 2021, Tarvin guided the Eagles to a 9-7 conference record before leading the Eagles to a runner-up finish in the 2021 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Championship. It marked the first time NCCU advanced to the championship game of the MEAC tourney since joining the league in 2011. 

The Eagles picked up another postseason victory in 2022, Tarvin's 25th career victory at NCCU. 

In her first three seasons as head coach, Tarvin has produced 13 All-MEAC honorees, including Makiya Graves (2023), Takia Nichols (2023), Imara Harrell (2023), Jaden Davis (2023), Ivory Jones (2023), Maegan Garrison (2023, 2022), Jaylah Barr (2022), Hailey Batista (2022), Madison Mifsud (2022), Kiara Hurley (2021), Joirea Dumas (2021) and Tamiera Sanchez (2021). She has also mentored one MEAC Player of the Year (Makiya Graves), nine MEAC All-Tournament Team honorees and 15 MEAC weekly award winners between the 2021-23 seasons. 

As an assistant coach, Tarvin helped in all facets of the NCCU softball program with an emphasis on pitching. In that role, Tarvin coached back-to-back 18-game winners in Hurley (2019) and Courtney Mirabella (2018). They both earned All-MEAC honors for their respective outstanding seasons under Tarvin’s guidance, with their 18 wins tying as a program modern era record for single season wins.

With Tarvin instructing the pitching staff in 2018, Mirabella broke nearly every modern-era single season pitching record at NCCU. Mirabella tossed a no-hitter as well as recorded 20 strikeouts in a game that season with the guidance of Tarvin and Mirabella would go on to set the school record in strikeouts, ranking sixth nationally in total strikeouts (306) and 13th nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (9.4). 

Tarvin was part of a coaching staff at NCCU that won 20 games in 2018 and 23 games in 2019, which are the two highest win totals for the Eagles at the DI level.

Tarvin successfully earned a graduate degree with honors while coaching the Eagles her first two seasons at NCCU. She completed her Master of Science degree in physical education and recreation with a concentration in athletic administration in the Fall of 2019. 

Tarvin, who was a standout NCAA Division I softball student-athlete, joined the Lady Eagles after coaching at Emory University for one season.

Tarvin started her collegiate career playing two seasons at Kennesaw State University before transferring to Presbyterian College.

As a senior for the Blue Hose, Tarvin was named team MVP and a Second Team Big South All-Conference honoree as a utility player. She batted .316 that season with 10 doubles, nine home runs, two doubles, 31 RBI, 34 runs and five stolen bases playing a combination of outfield, pitcher and designated hitter. Tarvin batted .293 with 14 stolen bases as a junior.

Tarvin had success at KSU as well, earning Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team accolades before earning co-captain distinction as a sophomore. Tarvin batted .293 with 13 RBI as a rookie for the Owls.

In four seasons, Tarvin won 15 games from the pitcher’s circle.

Tarvin graduated from Presbyterian with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology in 2013. 

The Lawrenceville, Georgia, native has additional coaching experience as a pitching coach at Holy Innocents Episcopal School; an instructor/coach for Georgia Elite Gold Softball; a camp instructor at Duke University and University of Tennessee; and a private instructor.

Tarvin has one daughter, Charlie Rose.