Kaitlin Thibodeau-Corey
Kaitlin Thibodeau-Corey

Bio

Kaitlin Thibodeau-Corey will enter her first season as the head coach of the Mitchell College softball program during the 2024-25 academic year.

A 2021 graduate of Mitchell College, Thibodeau-Corey arrives back in New London after serving as the head softball coach at the University of Maine at Presque Isle during the 2023-2024 year. In addition to leading the softball program, she also held the title of Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) and Athletics Retention Coordinator.

"We are so excited to announce Kaitlin Thibodeau-Corey as our next head coach for the softball program," said Director of Athletics Matt Finlayson. "This is a welcome back home for Kaitlin as she is a former Mariner herself. Kaitlin's passion for Mitchell was certainly displayed through the interview process. We can't wait to continue the growth of our softball program with Coach Thibodeau-Corey at the helm."

Prior to her time with the Owls, Thibodeau-Corey obtained her Graduate Degree at Keystone College and was a graduate assistant for the softball team from 2021-2023, which included a stint as interim head coach during the 2022 season.

"I am deeply honored and excited to return to Mitchell as the next head softball coach," said Thibodeau-Corey. "I would like to thank Matt Finlayson and the Mitchell College Athletic Department for allowing me to lead the softball program. Mitchell was a home to me for so many years and it has helped shape me into the person I am today. I am so happy to be back coaching on the same field I played on once. I am thrilled to get started, continuing the growth of the program and establishing a positive culture to help develop our student-athletes into great people on and off the field!"

A four-year member of the Mitchell softball team, Thibodeau-Corey appeared in 79 games, posting a .336 career batting average while earning New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) All-Conference First Team honors in 2018 and Academic All-Conference honors her sophomore through senior year. During her tenure with the Mariners, she was also a member of SAAC, a Board of Trustees Representative, a resident assistant, and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma. Thibodeau-Corey graudated with a BA in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Justice Studies and was named Freshman Women's Student-Athlete of the year 2018.

Thibodeau-Corey will take over a team which went 16-20 during their inaugural season in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), including an 11-3 mark in the South Division.

A native of Peabody, Massachusetts, Thibodeau-Corey resides in New London, Connecticut.

Meet The Coach
Yesenia Evaristo

Yesenia “Coach Sen” Evaristo was named the next head coach of the Mitchell College softball team in June of 2026.

Evaristo arrived at Mitchell after serving as pitching coach and assistant coach at Eastern Connecticut State University since January 2024. During her tenure with the Warriors, she helped guide the program to the 2025 Little East Conference regular-season championship and its 12th conference tournament title while advancing to the NCAA Tournament. She also played a key role in the development of multiple standout student-athletes, including the 2025 and 2026 Little East Conference Pitchers of the Year and the 2025 Conference Rookie of the Year. In addition to overseeing the pitching staff, Evaristo assisted with recruiting, practice planning, scheduling, campus visits, and overall program operations.

Prior to joining Eastern Connecticut State, Evaristo spent nearly two seasons as assistant coach and pitching coach at Rhode Island College, where she helped the program record its first .500 season and earn its first conference tournament appearance in a decade. Her responsibilities included pitcher development, recruiting operations, and assisting with all facets of student-athlete growth both on and off the field.

In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Evaristo has served as a private instructor and performance trainer at Backstop since 2020, providing individualized instruction in pitching, hitting, and fielding while designing strength and conditioning programs for athletes of all ages. She currently coaches more than 40 athletes privately and has helped numerous players continue their careers at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels.

Evaristo also gained valuable leadership experience as head softball coach at Cranston High School East from 2019–22 and previously served as head coach and pitching coach for the CT Gators Softball Program, where she developed individualized training programs and emphasized both skill development and mental performance.

Beyond the softball field, Evaristo spent several years as a special education teacher and behavioral specialist.

A former NCAA Division II softball student-athlete, Evaristo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in communications from Southern Connecticut State University before completing a Master of Education degree in special education at Grand Canyon University. She also holds certifications as a personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach through ISSA.

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