Shelby Thompson is in her second year on the Utah State softball coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2026.
During her first season on staff in 2025, Thompson helped lead the Aggies to one of their most successful campaigns in recent history as the team made its first-ever Mountain West Tournament appearance and first overall postseason qualification since 2017. Utah State boasted one of the nation's top offenses, ranking in the top-35 nationally in doubles per game (8th - 1.73), batting average (15th - .341), on-base percentage (16th - .429), slugging percentage (16th - .557), hits by pitch (20th - 50), RBIs per game (22nd - 6.13), scoring (24th - 6.54), hits (31st - 494) and home runs per game (32nd - 1.27). Additionally, the team set program records for batting average (.340), hits (493), runs (340), doubles (90), home runs (66), RBIs (319), total bases (807), slugging percentage (.557), walks (181) and on-base percentage (.428).
Utah State defeated No. 19 Baylor 6-4 for the team's first win over a top-20 opponent since 2010, and just the team's sixth overall ranked win since 2000. It also defeated Purdue 4-3 for its first win over a Big 10 foe since 2016.
Thompson coached a program-record seven players to all-Mountain West accolades, shattering the previous program record of four. This was the most all-conference accolades by a Utah State ever in any league. Three Aggies graced the league's first team, including catcher Grace Matej and outfielders Kya Pratt and Tatum Silva. Additionally, infidlers Ariel Fifita and Claudia Medina each earned NFCA All-Pacific Region Third Team accolades, the first time since 2016 that USU had multiple all-region honorees.
Thompson joined the Aggies after a strong playing career as a pitcher at UC San Diego. There, she made 73 appearances and 38 starts in the circle in four years from 2021-24. Her best season came as a senior in 2024, when she made 25 appearances and 16 starts for the Tritons. Thompson was a three-time Big West All-Academic Team honoree.
Prior to her time at UC San Diego, Thompson played club softball for the Oro Valley Suncats under USU head coach Todd Judge. The native of Tucson, Arizona, attended Ironwood Ridge High School, where she was a two-time first team all-league honoree and was named the conference defensive player of the year in 2019, as well as the region player of the year as she helped lead the Nighthawks to a 5A state title.