HUNTSVILLE | UAH softball head coach Les Stuedeman announced her retirement on Wednesday after 30 seasons at the helm of the Chargers, with associate head coach Melanie Carter rising to head coach ahead of the 2025-26 academic year.
 
"If you find a job you love, you never work a day. I feel like that sums up my career at UAH," Stuedeman said. "There is no way to express the gratitude I feel for 30 years of getting to be a Charger. The women who have worn the UAH softball jersey have gifted me with a lifetime of memories and we built something special TOGETHER. It's been my honor to be their coach and to watch them flourish on the field and in their lives after Charger softball."
 
"Successful, consistent programs are built on the shoulders of loyal assistant coaches. Vann Stuedeman, Karl Tunon, and Melanie Carter are three of the best this game has to offer. You all gave so much to me. You all gave so much to our Chargers. I appreciate and love each of you so very much."
 
Coach Stuedeman is the only head coach in UAH softball history, as she built the program into a national power with a career record of 1,297-453-1 over 30 seasons with the Chargers from 1996-2025. She has achieved 40 wins or more in 27 of her 30 seasons at UAH, as she retires with the 14th most career wins in NCAA softball history and the third most in Division II.
 
"For 30 years, I've been able to count on consistent leadership, support and comraderie from everyone at UAH," Stuedeman continued. "I am so thankful that so many of you believed in me, accepted me and viewed my passion as a strength. I know what I've experienced in this profession is rare and I know how lucky I am. A very special, special thank you to Julie Woltjen, Jim Harris, Sheila Scruggs, Laura Taube, Jeff Kinard, Dr. Frank Franz, Lennie Acuff, Bobby Pierce, Dr. Darla Cowart, Dr. Bob & Beth Altenkirch, Dr. Brent Wren, Nikki Goode, Hunter Royer, Taylor Flatt, Sam Baldwin, Antoine Bell, Morgan Siersma, Tyler Shimizu, John Shulman, Dr. Cade Smith and Dr. Chuck Karr."
 
"After every road trip, my little family – Jen, Cooper and Carter – are in the driveway, jumping up and down with their arms wide open. That's where I will be for a while. I have so many hopes, dreams and plans for our future. I'm so sad to go and so proud I was here, and I believe wholeheartedly in our next softball coach. There is not a better example of a Charger than Melanie Carter." 
 
"If lovin' the Chargers is wrong, I don't wanna be right," Stuedeman concluded.
 
Stuedeman's teams have earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament 26 times – including a stretch of 21 in a row from 2003-2024 – and the Chargers have captured four South Region titles (1999, 2001, 2009 and 2011). In 2009 and 2011, she guided the Chargers to the brink of a national championship finishing as the Division II Softball World Series runner-up both seasons. Stuedeman and her staff have been named South Region Coaching Staff of the Year six times (1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009 and 2011).
 
"I am so happy for Les and excited for her and what is next," UAH Director of Athletics Dr. Cade Smith said. "I am sad for us as she has been awesome to work with here at UAH. She built UAH softball from the ground up and, in the process, was a catalyst to raise all of our programs."
 
"She made everyone better, every day," Dr. Smith continued. "I appreciate her, who she is, what she stands for, and cannot put into words the impact she has made on UAH, softball, and most importantly, young people. She is a legend and I am just going to miss seeing her so often. I am glad she will still be around."
 
Under Stuedeman, the Chargers have appeared in 14 Gulf South Conference Championship games, winning nine titles, including three in a row from 2006 through 2008. The Chargers have an all-time GSC tournament record of 81-40 – the best mark in the conference.
 
In her extraordinarily successful collegiate coaching stint, Stuedeman also has 10 GSC Coach of the Year titles to her credit as she garnered the award in 1996, 2001, and 2002 before winning it four consecutive seasons from 2008-11 and adding another pair in 2013 and 2014 before winning her 10th honor in 2017.
 
The program's success in the conference was highlighted when in 2010 Stuedeman was named GSC East Division Coach of the Decade, while the Chargers were also picked as the decade's top softball program. Stuedeman would repeat as the GSC Softball Coach of the Decade in 2020, and eight Chargers landed on the two GSC All-Decade teams.
 
She has coached six players that have been inducted into the GSC Hall of Fame including Wendy Hurst in 2014, Melanie Carter in 2016, Stephanie Pinto in 2017, Lane Davis in 2019, Audrey Williams in 2022, and Kristin Spencer in 2024. Overall, Stuedeman has mentored 42 NFCA All-Americans, nine GSC Players of the Year, and five GSC Pitchers of the Year.
 
Stuedeman was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Associaiton Hall of Fame in 2014, and she has also been enshrined in the Vestavia Hills Hall of Fame in 2012, the Huntingdon Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013, and the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.
 
A key component of the Chargers coaching staff over the last two decades, Carter takes over as head coach of UAH softball after being an assistant on Stuedeman's staff since 2010. Carter was promoted to associate head coach in 2020.
 
"We are so fortunate to have Melanie Carter as our new head coach," Dr. Smith said. "She embodies what is means to be a UAH Charger. She has been here as a student-athlete, an assistant coach, an associate head coach, and I know she will work tirelessly to be an excellent head coach for us. I am so proud of her and can't wait to watch her get to work in her new role."
 
She has been a part of 625 wins in her career as a coach at UAH, while also helping lead the Chargers to a record of 196-65 during her playing career at UAH from 2000-03.
 
During her collegiate career at UAH, Carter was a four-year starter, a four-time NFCA All-American and a four-time First Team All-South Region selection. In 2001, Carter led the Chargers to an appearance in the NCAA Division II College World Series.
 
In addition to being enshrined in the GSC Hall of Fame, Carter was enshrined in the inaugural UAH Athletics Hall of Fame class in 2020. She is the only current head coach in the conference inducted into the GSC Hall of Fame.
 
Carter takes over the helm of a team that went 29-22 overall last season with the fourth-best record in the GSC schedule at a record of 19-12. The Chargers made the GSC tournament for the 29th time in program history, achieving a pair of wins at the conference championships in May.