Shannon Pivovar ("
Piv") was named the 11th head coach in South Dakota softball history in June 2026. She joined the USD softball program as an assistant coach in the summer of 2023 and brings 10+ years of coaching in the collegiate ranks to Vermillion. She was promoted to Associate Head Coach ahead of the 2026 campaign.
In her three seasons as an assistant at South Dakota, Pivovar was a key cog in the recruitment and development of student-athletes, Pivovar worked with all areas of on-field player development in her first three years as a Coyote. She also assumed duties as recruiting coordinator, camp coordinator, and internal aspects of managing the day-to-day of the program. Pivovar was instrumental piece in the program’s first-ever conference title at any level and first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and victory at the Lincoln Regional.
She came to South Dakota following five seasons as the head coach at University of Sioux Falls (2019-23) at the Division II level. She compiled a record of 109-113 with the Cougars, coaching nine All-NSIC performers with six First Team honorees. The program also combined for more than 200 hours of community service work each season.
Pivovar was an assistant coach at South Dakota State for four seasons (2015-18) under current Creighton head softball coach Krista Wood and helped lead the program to its first NCAA Division I postseason appearance when the Jacks competed in the National Invitational Softball Championship in 2018.
Pivovar began her collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Wayne State (Neb.) for the 2014 season before moving into a full-time role at SDSU the following season.
A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Pivovar had a stellar collegiate career at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri where she was a three-time All-Conference performer for the Griffons. She was also a 2008 All-Region performer and the 2010 Missouri Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Pivovar sits top-10 in five offensive categories at Missouri Western State in her career, including sitting sixth in career at-bats (692) and eighth in doubles (40) while also being sixth in both most games played (226) and career starts (224).
Pivovar graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in sports management from Missouri Western State in 2010. She went on to earn her master’s degree from Wayne State in 2018. She has also served as a sports information director at Creighton, coached at Ralston and Marian High Schools in Omaha, and was a program coach for Nebraska Fury / Nebraska Gold Fast Pitch Softball.
» PIVOVAR HIRE RELEASE (June 2, 2026)
» PIVOVAR INTRODUCTORY PRESS CONFERENCE (June 4, 2026)
Pivovar Head Coach Year-by Year:
| Year(s) |
Institution |
Record (SL Rec.) |
Season Notes |
| 2019 |
Sioux Falls |
24-30 |
|
| 2020 |
Sioux Falls |
11-8 |
|
| 2021 |
Sioux Falls |
23-24 |
|
| 2022 |
Sioux Falls |
27-25 |
|
| 2023 |
Sioux Falls |
24-26 |
|
| 2024-26 |
Asst. Coach @ USD |
--- |
|
| 2027 |
South Dakota |
|
|
| TOTALS |
at South Dakota |
0-0 (.000) |
|
|
as a head coach |
109-113 (.491) |
|
