SAN DIEGO, Calif. - This month's Torero spotlight focuses on Melissa McElvain, who is entering her 15th season as the Head Coach of the Torero softball team. McElvain was recently recognized at a department staff meeting for being "an ambassador for the USD family" and for embodying the USD way.

"Melissa consistently takes the extra step to welcome people into the USD community," said Shaney Fink, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/SWA. "She has developed an atmosphere within the softball program where student-athletes are grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact."

A San Diego native, McElvain played softball at Oklahoma State from 1996-1999 where she helped the Cowgirls finish fourth in the 1998 Women's College World Series. McElvain (formerly Turley) is still in the top 20 in numerous career categories at Oklahoma State including games started, hits, and RBI.

After graduating from OSU with a degree in business administration, McElvain was hired by the USD sports information department where she worked for one and half years. She knew she wanted to eventually get in to coaching or teaching, and the opportunity came before the 2002 season when she was hired as the Toreros' head coach at just 23 years old, making her the youngest Division I head coach in the nation.

McElvain, who earned her Master's in Leadership Studies from USD in 2006, is now the winningest coach in program history and is coming off a 29-win 2015 season, the most in a season since she took over. The Toreros have finished in second place in four of the past five seasons and just finished up a strong fall campaign.

Asked what she enjoys most about coaching, McElvain says, "The relationships that I have with my coaches and with my players. Getting to know them and especially seeing my players grown and develop over the years personally, both as a player and as a student."

"I think the most rewarding part of coaching is seeing them go through struggles and overcoming them and seeing the overall success they've had when they graduate and move on," McElvain said.

Running a division I softball program comes with its challenges as well. "It's not just coaching and X's and O's," McElvain said. "The hardest thing is when you have a player going through difficult times in their personal life or academic struggles. I want to help them fix the situation or better themselves, but you're human, you don't know the right answer at all the right times when it comes to those off the field situations."

Under her watch, the Toreros have been heavily involved in community service, specifically in local youth programs such as the Navajo softball league, which McElvain played in as a child.

"It's fun to go back and do a clinic for them on the field that I played on for my very first softball game ever," McElvain said. "We also go to elementary schools and we help run a Halloween carnival at Benchley/Weinberger elementary."

Recently a USD alum was driving through campus and stopped at the softball field so his 11 year old daughter could sneak a peek at the Toreros' practice. McElvain invited the girl on to the field to meet the team and give her some pointers.

The young girl's father was so impressed with McElvain, that he sent an e-mail to USD's president Dr. James Harris to express his gratitude. The e-mail read, "Coach Mac was truly an ambassador for the USD family and made such a positive imprint on my daughter that will last a long time."

McElvain's compassion for others was on full display a couple years ago, when her good friend Dana Findley was suffering from a condition called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FGS), essentially scar tissue forming on the kidneys. With the transplant wait list extending as long as six years, and Findley's condition worsening, McElvain offered to donate her kidney; the ultimate proof of leading by example.

Outside of the softball field, McElvain is active in her church and enjoys paddle boarding on Mission Bay. She also loves spending time with her family, her husband of 15 years, Ryan, and their two daughters Mia (10) and Kamryn (8).

The Torero softball season begins February in Tempe, Ariz. where USD will play in the Kajikawa Softball Classic hosted by Arizona State. Their first game in San Diego will be the following weekend when they play in the Campbell/Cartier Classic at San Diego State beginning February 18.