Northern Illinois University Athletics

Alaynie Woollard begins her second season as an assistant coach at her alma mater in 2024. Woollard returned to NIU in 2023 following three years on staff at Green Bay. 

In her first season back at NIU, Woollard helped the Huskies to 26 wins, including 15 in conference play, with a young roster that featured 11 freshmen. Kelly Walinski and Danielle Stewart each earned First Team All-MAC honors while Kiley Conner was named Second Team All-MAC and the MAC Freshman Player of the Year. Sam Mallinder and Stewart were both named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Third Team while Walinski received the Nan Harvey Award, given to a MAC player, coach or staff member who demonstrates commitment, leadership and toughness.

Woollard joined the Green Bay staff prior to the 2020 season, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following year, she helped lead the Phoenix to 23 wins, the most for the program since 2014, with 18 of those victories coming in Horizon League play. In 2022, Woollard helped Green Bay to 25 wins, including its first postseason victory since 2015.  

She began her collegiate coaching career in 2019 as an assistant coach at Franklin College under then head coach Brad Jones. The Grizzlies amassed 18 wins in 2019 and earned a spot in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament.  

As a player, Woollard had a standout career at NIU under Christina Sutcliffe from 2014-18. A NFCA All-Great Lakes and Academic All-MAC honoree, Woollard made appearances at shortstop, catcher, and third base with the Huskies. She owns the NIU single-season triples record (9) and is tied for the third-most triples in program history (13). Woollard's 27 home runs in a Huskie uniform is tied for third-most in school history. 

A New Castle, Ind. native, Woollard earned her a bachelor's degree in psychology from NIU.