PANAMA CITY — Gulf Coast head softball coach Susan Painter and assistant Ryann Ellingsworth have been placed on indefinite paid administrative leave, the school confirmed on Friday.
Painter was informed of the leave Friday morning, she said. She added she was unaware of the reasons for the action.
GC Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Chris Thomes said Painter and Ellingsworth will be on leave until an internal investigation is completed. He was unable to comment on the details of the investigation.
Thomes said Charity Butler, who was a GC assistant last season, will take over as interim coach starting with Saturday's 1 p.m. home Panhandle Conference doubleheader against Tallahassee. The Lady Commodores (23-28, 5-13) have six games remaining on the schedule heading into a potential state playoff berth. They lead Pensacola (22-16, 5-15) by a game in fourth place, the final spot allotted in the state tournament for the conference.
Painter is in her 20th season as fastpitch coach at GC — adding one more in slowpitch prior to 1995 — and has compiled an 895-335 record. She’s led GC to six conference titles, three state championships and three runner-up finishes at the national tournament.
Ellingsworth is in her second season as an assistant. She was a GC standout in the early 2000s and also played at Valdosta State in Georgia.