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This week, Pike County High School announced the hiring of new head softball coach Toni (Anderson) Culver, a former Florida A&M softball star.

Culver is a Dothan native that was an All-State infielder at the old Dothan High School. She helped lead Dothan to a State Championship in 2011. Culver went on to play college softball at Florida A&M, earning All-Conference honors during his career.

As a junior, Culver earned a .298 batting average with 12 home runs, six doubles, one triple and 22 runs. She also boasted a .989 fielding percentage at first base with just two errors in 178 chances.

As a senior, Culver earned a .234 batting average with six doubles, four homers, 21 RBIs and 30 runs. She also boasted a .982 fielding percentage with 254 putouts, 12 assists and 12 double plays.

Culver started her coaching career as an assistant coach and head junior varsity coach at the new Dothan High in 2021 but she knew long before that she wanted to get into coaching.

“I’ve been a softball player and in sports all my life,” Culver said. “I watched my dad coach my sisters and he was always a great mentor to me and was my guidance. When I went to Dothan High, Patricia Ball was my coach there and I really liked her coaching style. Their influence sort of pushed me into wanting to be a coach.”

Pike County will be Culver’s first heading coaching opportunity.

“It was my first time being asked to be a head coach,” Culver said of taking the PCHS job. “They explained everything to me and everything the program has gone through and that really helped push me to think I can help turn this program around and make sure the girls have a great experience in high school.”

Culver wants to help show PCHS softball players that college can be an option for them, as well.

“Going down and playing in college you get a different experience,” she said. “You’re learning things and I’m going to try and incorporate that into our program and really help the girls learn about themselves and learn tools to help fit their softball needs and also their life needs.”

Culver is expecting success for the Lady Dawg program.

“My goal is to switch things up and turn this program around and be a student first, athlete second program,” she emphasized. “We’ll push to make the playoffs, though. I won’t say it will be our first year but my ultimate goal is to make it to state and win state.”