MONTICELLO – Meleah Brown is moving closer to home. The Bogue Chitto product has been hired to coach slowpitch and fastpitch softball at Lawrence County High School.

     “I’m really looking forward to it,” said Brown. “As soon as I graduated from Mississippi State, I got hired at East Webster. I enjoyed coaching there but it was too far from home.”

     Brown, 24, is a 2006 Bogue Chitto graduate. She replaces Courtney Shivers who coached the Lady Cougars for four years.

      Brown played two years for Copiah-Lincoln Community College, earning all-state honors. She transferred to Mississippi State University and completed work toward her degree. She had the opportunity to be a student-assistant coach at East Webster. She majored in coaching and mathematics.

     This is a  hectic but exciting time for Brown. She will exchange marriage vows with Bogue Chitto native Marc Howard at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church  this Saturday. He  teaches and coaches at McComb High School.

     Brown said the LCHS Lady Cougars were rich in softball tradition. They have struggled in recent years under Shivers.

     “When I was in high school, Lawrence County was always very competitive,” said Brown. “Hopefully, we can be pretty competitive again.”

     The Lawrence County school board approved her hiring three weeks. ago. Brown said team tryouts are scheduled July 5-6, starting at 9 a.m. each day.

     “We are pleased to have Meleah Brown joining our athletic department,” said Lawrence County Superintendent of Education Dr. Tammy Fairburn.

     Brown served as head coach at East Webster the last two seasons. She was an assistant coach from 2008-10. The Lady Wolverines were state fastpitch runners-up in 2011, losing to Enterprise-Clarke. They lost to Hatley in the North State 2A third round this season.

     “My pitchers graduated last year,” said Brown.  “We didn’t have enough pitching experience and gave up a lot of walks.”

     Brown said she is anxious to get started and become acquainted with the community. “I have met a few of the girls and a few teachers during workshops.”

     She was a pitcher and shortstop in high school, starring in slowpitch and fastpitch. She received MVP honors on The DAILY LEADER’s All-Lincoln County and All-Area Softball teams.

     Brown will coach slowpitch and fastpitch. She will teach math.

     She is the daughter of Perry and Vasie Brown of Bogue Chitto.