Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 10, 2026

Tyra Perry

Tyra Perry is an American former collegiate softball outfielder, and former head coach originally from Zachary, Louisiana. She began playing for the Nicholls State Colonels from 1994-95 and ended with the LSU Tigers from 1997-98. She was most recently leading Illinois Fighting Illini softball.

Last revised
Aug 10, 2026
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Tyra Perry
Biographical details
BornZachary, Louisiana, U.S.
EducationLSU
Playing career
1994–1995Nicholls State
1997–1998LSU
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2001–2007Birmingham-Southern
2008–2013Western Kentucky
2014–2015Ball State
2016–2026Illinois
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2006–2007Birmingham-Southern (Assistant AD/Senior Woman Administrator)
Head coaching record
Overall710–652–1 (.521)
TournamentsNCAA: 7–12 (.368)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
  • MAC Coach of the Year (2014)
  • 2× Sun Belt Coach of the Year (2009, 2013)
Records
  • Birmingham-Southern Softball First Winning Record Season (2006)
  • First 40-plus-win Season in Western Kentucky Program History (2013)
  • First Sun Belt Title in Western Kentucky Program History (2013)
  • Winningest Coach in Western Kentucky Softball History (196)
  • First ever NCAA Regional in Western Kentucky Program History (2013)
  • Finished ranked #26 in NCAA RPI the Highest Final Ranking in Program History (2013)
  • First NCAA Regional Victory in Ball State Program History (2015)

Tyra Perry is an American former collegiate softball outfielder, and former head coach originally from Zachary, Louisiana. She began playing for the Nicholls State Colonels from 1994-95 and ended with the LSU Tigers from 1997-98. She was most recently leading Illinois Fighting Illini softball.1

Coaching career

Ball State

On August 6, 2013, Perry was named the head coach at Ball State.2

Illinois

On June 24, 2015, Perry was named the head coach at Illinois.3

On May 4, 2026, Illinois announced that Perry would not return for the 2027 season, parting ways after eleven seasons.45

Career statistics

6

Nicholls State Colonels & LSU Tigers
YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
1995 63 198 36 67 .338 45 3 4 11 95 .480% 16 29 5 7
1997 58 165 40 57 .345 39 11 2 7 101 .612% 20 22 10 11
1998 70 182 29 59 .324 38 5 1 12 88 .483% 16 23 4 5
TOTALS 191 545 105 183 .336 122 19 7 30 284 .521% 52 74 19 23

Head coaching record

College

References:78910

Record table
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Birmingham-Southern Panthers (NCAA Division I Provisional Member) (2002–2003)
2002 Birmingham-Southern 17–42
2003 Birmingham-Southern 26–32
Birmingham-Southern Panthers (Big South Conference) (2004–2007)
2004 Birmingham-Southern 25–34 6–6 T-3rd
2005 Birmingham-Southern 25–32 5–7 5th
2006 Birmingham-Southern 28–21 7–5 4th
2007 Birmingham-Southern 25–37 5–10 5th
Birmingham-Southern: 146–198 (.424) 23–28 (.451)
Western Kentucky Lady Toppers (Sun Belt Conference) (2008–2013)
2008 Western Kentucky 28–30 8–15 8th
2009 Western Kentucky 35–19 14–9 3rd
2010 Western Kentucky 27–25 6–15 9th
2011 Western Kentucky 30–29 9–15 7th
2012 Western Kentucky 33–25–1 11–12–1 5th
2013 Western Kentucky 43–18 20–3 1st NCAA Regional
Western Kentucky: 196–146–1 (.573) 68–69–1 (.496)
Ball State Cardinals (Mid-American Conference) (2014–2015)
2014 Ball State 33–19 12–4 1st (West)
2015 Ball State 34–25 14–5 1st NCAA Regional
Ball State: 67–44 (.604) 26–9 (.743)
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (2016–2026)
2016 Illinois 36–23 12–11 7th NCAA Regional
2017 Illinois 39–20 14–8 4th NCAA Regional
2018 Illinois 37–18 13–8 6th
2019 Illinois 33–25 9–14 T-8th NCAA Regional
2020 Illinois 11–11 0–0 Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Illinois 24–20 24–20 7th
2022 Illinois 34–22 15–7 3rd NCAA Regional
2023 Illinois 29–27 6–16 12th
2024 Illinois 21–31 7–15 12th
2025 Illinois 22–28 6–15 T-13th
2026 Illinois 15–39 3–20 T-16th
Illinois: 301–264 (.533) 109–134 (.449)
Total: 710–652–1 (.521)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

References

  1. "Tyra Perry". FightingIllini.com. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS DIVISION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  2. "Ball State Names Tyra Perry Head Softball Coach". getsomemaction.com. August 6, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  3. "TYRA PERRY NAMED ILLINOIS HEAD SOFTBALL COACH". FightingIllini.com. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS DIVISION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  4. "Illinois Announces Softball Coaching Change". FightingIllini.com. University of Illinois. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  5. "Illinois parts ways with Tyra Perry as softball coach". www.wandtv.com. WAND-TV. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  6. "Archived Team-By-Team Final Statistics". Ncaa.org. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  7. "Big South Conference Softball Record Book" (PDF). BigSouthSports.com. Big South Conference. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  8. "Sun Belt Conference Softball Record Book" (PDF). SunBeltSports.org. Sun Belt Conference. Retrieved February 21, 2019. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  9. "MAC Softball Record Book" (PDF). GetSomeMACtion.com. Mid-American Conference. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  10. "Big Ten Conference Softball Record Book" (PDF). BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.