University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Softball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- bill.shipman@louisiana.edu
Bill Shipman joined the Louisiana Softball program as an assistant coach in October 2025. He serves as the Ragin' Cajuns hitting coach.
With his analytical and coaching expertise, Shipman is poised to contribute significantly in the development of the Ragin' Cajuns offense.
Before joining Alyson Habetz's staff at Louisiana, Shipman spent the previous two seasons at Western Michigan. His expertise and leadership helped WMU set a plethora of team and individual records immediately.
In his first season, the Broncos finished the 2024 season ranked inside the Top 10 in six different program single-season offensive categories, from team batting average (sixth highest in single-season history) to doubles hit (sixth most produced in single-season history).
Shipman guided junior Payton Kelly to an All-MAC First Team selection and senior Haley Boxwell to an All-MAC Second Team nod. Kelly saw a career year at the plate, posting a .351 batting average along with 53 hits, 25 RBI, 25 runs scored, and eight doubles. Kelly and Riley Dittmar became the first Broncos to tally at least 70 bases since 2018 and the first two teammates to produce 50 hits each during a single season since 2021.
Additionally, Megan Welsh, Rissa Bajusz, Boxwell, Kelly, and Dittmar became the first five teammates since 2017 to register over 20 RBI in a campaign.
Shipman's expertise and leadership helped WMU head coach Marlee Wilson set the program record for the most wins by a first-year head coach - the Broncos' 27 wins marking only the sixth time since 1998 the program reached the mark. Together they took WMU to its first MAC Championship berth since 2019.
In 2025, Kelly repeated as a first team selection on the All-MAC squad under Shipman's guidance. She was the MAC's top hitter, leading the conference with a .450 average in conference play. Her OPS of 1.227 was fourth in the conference and she only stuck out twice in 80 at bats.
Shipman's hitters continued to deliver extra base hits in his second year at WMU, the offensive unit accounting for 67 doubles, nine triples and 41 home runs. Nine different players had at least four doubles while four players launched seven home runs or more. Team home runs increased significantly in Year 2 with Shipman, rising from 25 up to 41 which ranked Top 100 nationally and was one of only five totals in the MAC (out of 11 teams) above 40 home runs.
Prior to joining Western Michigan, Shipman secured an Amateur Softball Association Championship, achieved 3rd Place in ASA Gold and clinched 3rd place in Premier Girls Fastpitch nationals.
His leadership and coaching abilities have played a pivotal role in helping young athletes excel at the highest levels of competition. His coaching expertise has not only resulted in athletic excellence, but he has also advanced a countless number of athletes to the NCAA Division 1 level securing college scholarships.
Shipman graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a bachelor's in business administration in 2022. His academic achievements underscore his commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.
He is married to his wife Lorri, and has four children Amanda, Maddi, Billy, and Ally. He also has five grandchildren.
Two of his daughters, Maddi and Ally, played collegiate softball in the SEC.
Maddi led Tennessee to back-to-back Women's College World Series appearances in 2012 and 2013, won the Senior CLASS Award for softball and the SEC Player of the Year award as a senior in 2014 and went on to play professional softball with the USSSA Pride and the Scrap Yard Dawgs of National Pro Fastpitch. Ally was a standout catcher who competed for Tennessee from 2019-21 before concluding her collegiate career at Alabama alongside current Louisiana Softball head coach Alyson Habetz from 2022-23.
