Staff Directory
Avrey Steiner
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
Avrey Steiner was named assistant coach in July 2026.Â
Steiner spent the three seasons as an assistant at Ball State before coming ot Athens.Â
In her three seasons with the program, the Cardinals registered an 85-72 overall record. Ball State advanced to the championship series of the 2024 MAC Tournament, while falling in the final game of the elimination bracket to the eventual tournament champion. Last season, Ball State picked up wins over Power 4 competition including Illinois and Louisville.Â
In 2025 Steiner has been instrumental in the team's success on the base paths. In helping the team to a 33-18 (16-9 MAC) record, the Cardinals ranked first in the league and 29th nationally with 87 stolen bases. It was the ninth-most stolen bases in a season in program history and helped the squad rank 22nd nationally in scoring average at 6.59 runs per game. Overall, 14 different players stole at least one base during the 2025 campaign led by McKayla Timmons who ranked third in the MAC and 83rd nationally with 21. Timmon's total was the 16th-most in a single season in program history and helped her finish her career ranked 11th in program history with 44 stolen bases.
A five-year starter (2019-23) and four-year team captain (2020-23) at Illinois, Steiner joined the Ball State staff after a highly decorated playing career for former Cardinals head coach Tyra Perry (2014-15).
In her five seasons in Champaign, Steiner helped guide the Illini to a 131-105 (.555) record and NCAA Regional appearances in 2019 and 2022. She made 222 career starts while playing in 229 of a possible 236 games. A .333 career batter, Steiner led Illinois in batting average in three of her five seasons, including the 10th-best single-season average in program history at .391 in 2022.
Steiner earned All-Big Ten First Team honors for her 2022 campaign, in which she also led the league and ranked 12th nationally with 77 hits. As a junior in 2021, Steiner was named All-Big Ten Second Team after producing a .329 average and ranking 10th in the league with 51 hits.
Steiner finished her playing career with 231 hits, the fifth most in program history, including 24 doubles and three triples. She drove in 45 career RBI while scoring 118 career runs. She also collected 37 career walks and was hit by a pitch three times for a .370 career on base percentage.Â
On the base paths, she collected 33 career stolen bases. She was just as solid in the field, boasting a .965 fielding percentage, with 375 assists and 344 assists as a mainstay at second base.
In addition to her playing career, Steiner was an assistant coach for the Thunder Elite Premier 16U from 2020-23. In addition to assisting in player development and recruiting, she was the lead infield coach and worked with slappers. She also served as the third base coach.
Steiner spent the three seasons as an assistant at Ball State before coming ot Athens.Â
In her three seasons with the program, the Cardinals registered an 85-72 overall record. Ball State advanced to the championship series of the 2024 MAC Tournament, while falling in the final game of the elimination bracket to the eventual tournament champion. Last season, Ball State picked up wins over Power 4 competition including Illinois and Louisville.Â
In 2025 Steiner has been instrumental in the team's success on the base paths. In helping the team to a 33-18 (16-9 MAC) record, the Cardinals ranked first in the league and 29th nationally with 87 stolen bases. It was the ninth-most stolen bases in a season in program history and helped the squad rank 22nd nationally in scoring average at 6.59 runs per game. Overall, 14 different players stole at least one base during the 2025 campaign led by McKayla Timmons who ranked third in the MAC and 83rd nationally with 21. Timmon's total was the 16th-most in a single season in program history and helped her finish her career ranked 11th in program history with 44 stolen bases.
A five-year starter (2019-23) and four-year team captain (2020-23) at Illinois, Steiner joined the Ball State staff after a highly decorated playing career for former Cardinals head coach Tyra Perry (2014-15).
In her five seasons in Champaign, Steiner helped guide the Illini to a 131-105 (.555) record and NCAA Regional appearances in 2019 and 2022. She made 222 career starts while playing in 229 of a possible 236 games. A .333 career batter, Steiner led Illinois in batting average in three of her five seasons, including the 10th-best single-season average in program history at .391 in 2022.
Steiner earned All-Big Ten First Team honors for her 2022 campaign, in which she also led the league and ranked 12th nationally with 77 hits. As a junior in 2021, Steiner was named All-Big Ten Second Team after producing a .329 average and ranking 10th in the league with 51 hits.
Steiner finished her playing career with 231 hits, the fifth most in program history, including 24 doubles and three triples. She drove in 45 career RBI while scoring 118 career runs. She also collected 37 career walks and was hit by a pitch three times for a .370 career on base percentage.Â
On the base paths, she collected 33 career stolen bases. She was just as solid in the field, boasting a .965 fielding percentage, with 375 assists and 344 assists as a mainstay at second base.
In addition to her playing career, Steiner was an assistant coach for the Thunder Elite Premier 16U from 2020-23. In addition to assisting in player development and recruiting, she was the lead infield coach and worked with slappers. She also served as the third base coach.
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