In July 2025, Mackenzi Steele Zuppas returned to The Mecca as an assistant coach after two seasons at Gardner-Webb University (GWU).
In 2023, Zuppas joined the Runnin’ Bulldogs as an assistant and pitching coach before being promoted to associate head coach the following year (2024). In two seasons, GWU amassed 53 wins, including a 33-20 mark a year ago. As a result, this was the most wins record since the 2007 season (35-27). That same season saw the pitching staff post a team 2.97 ERA under the guidance of Zuppas.
In 2022, Zuppas was a volunteer assistant at the University of Nebraska. During her time with the Huskers, she helped the program to a Big Ten Tournament title – the first since the school joined the league (2011) – and an NCAA Tournament berth. Nebraska finished with a 41-16 (17-5 Big Ten) overall record. Zuppas was part of a coaching staff that was named 2022 NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year – learning from some of the sport's greatest minds in Rhonda Revelle, Lori Sippel and Dianne Miller. She assisted in all aspects of the game, including bullpens, scouting, hitting, team practices, individual workouts, game operations and game strategy.
Before moving into the volunteer role, Zuppas served as the graduate assistant at Nebraska for two years. She earned a master's degree in higher education administration and finished with a stellar 3.95 grade point average (GPA).
Zuppas finished her collegiate career at Howard after playing at Daytona State College and Appalachian State University.
In her final season, she helped lead Howard to their first conference tournament win and highest tournament finish in nine seasons. She pitched 317.0 innings over two seasons in 73 appearances. Academically, Zuppas finished with a 3.63 GPA with honors and an undergraduate degree in sports management.
