She helped build the softball program from the ground up, then the school pulled her without warning or explanation a week before the tournament

The UAB softball program has placed head coach Taylor Smartt on administrative leave in the middle of the 2026 season. As first highlighted by BroBible, the move came with the Blazers on the cusp of the conference tournament, with the regular season nearly over and postseason pressure building.

UAB has provided no explanation for the decision. While initial reports suggested Smartt was stepping back voluntarily, Maren Angus-Coombs of Sports Illustrated clarified that the absence was not Smartt’s choice but a decision made by the school. The lack of any public statement has left fans and observers without answers on whether an investigation is underway or whether the program is already moving in a different direction.

Assistant coach Anna Shelnutt has taken over coaching duties in the interim, though the university has not formally named her interim head coach. During a home series against South Florida, Shelnutt handled third base coaching and home plate meetings. UAB was swept in that series, leaving the Blazers at 20-30 overall and 7-17 in conference play.

UAB is keeping all of this unusually quiet for a mid-season removal

Smartt’s path to the UAB job ran through a decorated playing and coaching career. She started 191 games over four years at Troy, earning NFCA All-Region honors as a freshman after hitting .277 with eight doubles, a triple, a home run, and 17 RBIs. After her playing career ended, she spent eight seasons on Troy’s coaching staff, helping the program reach the 2021 NCAA Regionals and serving as co-interim head coach during the 2022 season.

She later joined Florida Atlantic as associate head coach for two seasons before UAB named her its head coach on August 7, 2024. At the time, she said, “I want to thank Athletic Director Mark Ingram and Deputy Athletic Director Dan Carlson for giving me the opportunity to serve as the next Head Softball Coach at UAB.” She also noted that the chance to lead the program was “an absolute honor and privilege.”

Her first season ended with a 24-31 record. The current campaign, amid a Wisconsin girlfriend murder case drawing attention to how quickly circumstances can unravel for those in the spotlight, has the Blazers at 20-30 heading into the final weekend of play.

UAB is scheduled to travel to Boca Raton for a three-game series against Florida Atlantic before heading to Greenville, North Carolina, for the American Conference Championships beginning May 6. Whether Smartt will return to the dugout for any of those games is unknown. A UAB spokesperson confirmed the leave to Softball On SI on the morning of April 28 but stated there would be no further comment while the matter is ongoing.

The Blazers’ situation is not the only case drawing scrutiny over how institutions handle abrupt internal decisions, as a recent true crime case highlighted how the absence of transparent communication compounds confusion in sensitive situations. At this point, no charges, findings, or formal statements have been issued in connection with Smartt’s leave.