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Like the Jeffersons, the University of West Georgia is moving on up. The Wolves will be making the transition to Division I. Currently a member of Division II and the Gulf South Conference, UWG will move to the Atlantic Sun Conference and DI on July 1, 2024. West Georgia Softball finished the 2023 season 13-40.

Titan Alum Gina Oaks Garcia is returning to the program at Cal State Fullerton. She has been hired as an assistant coach. Oaks Garcia spent the past six seasons as head coach at DIII Claremont Mudd Scripps College where her staff were named Conference Coaching Staff of the Year in 2018 and 2023. She had previously been on the coaching staff at CSUF after a standout playing career where she was a two-time All-American.

While Cal and Stanford are on their way to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ACC might not be on their way to Cal and Stanford.

Reports are surfacing that a scheduling component of the western schools being added to the conference is that their Olympic Sports (i.e. Softball) would travel to Dallas to compete to reduce travel costs for all programs. While new ACC add Southern Methodist would supply facilities for the endeavor, the proposal lacks a softball specific solution as SMU does not offer the sport. Such a proposal could in fact eliminate conference home games for the Bears and Cardinal.

Maryland has hired their next head coach after a national search.

Oakland Head Coach Lauren Karn has been named to lead the Terrapins. Karn led the Grizzlies for six seasons registering two winning campaigns during that time while compiling a 121-125 overall record. The 2022 Oakland Squad won the Horizon League Tournament Title and advanced to the NCAA Postseason going 26-17 on the way to the Evanston Regional.

Coaching Insiders had indicated to RTS that University of Maryland Baltimore County Head Coach Chris Kuhlmeyer was expected to be a serious candidate for the position being in the UM System. He has led UMBC to four straight conference championships and NCAA Postseason appearances. Maryland opted to go outside the system and landed on Karn.

Linda Garza has resigned as head coach at Nevada to accept a similar position at Fresno City College. She departs DI for JUCO after two seasons leading the Wolf Pack. During that time the program went 48-54 and 17-29 in Mountain West play. Garza had previously served as the head coach at Fresno State before coming to Reno.

Western Michigan is going back to the alumni pool once again for their new leader. Former Bronco Marlee Wilson has been named head coach. The promotion comes after serving as an assistant coach in 2023. She has also worked on staffs at Dayton and Tennessee-Martin.

In a surprisingly late move as teams throughout the country start their fall workouts, Alabama Associate Head Coach Alyson Habetz has announced her retirement. Habetz spent 25 years with the Crimson Tide Program. During that time Bama won 11 SEC Titles, made 14 apperances at the Women’s College World Series, and won the 2012 National Championship.

Georgia Tech Pitching Coach Marty McDaniel has been named the new head coach at Roane State Community College. He has led the pitching unit for the Yellow Jackets the past three seasons. McDaniel is best known for his successful run as pitching coach at Tennessee through 16 seasons. He returns to the Volunteer State with a Roane State squad that went 14-37 in the 2023.

RTS has learned that Dennis Blas has resigned as head coach at University of La Verne due to health reasons. He spent four years coaching the Leopards going 61-43. Blas joined UL after a hugely successful run at Hope International University where he led the Royals to the NAIA Postseason multiple times and No. 1 National Ranking during his tenure.

RTS has learned that Nick French will join the staff at Georgia as Coordinator of Player Development. French spent the past five seasons as head coach at Bryant. He rejoins the UGA Staff after serving as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs on their 2016 Women’s College World Series Team. French has also had stops on staff at Arizona, Memphis, Holy Cross, Towson, Piedmont College, and Simmons College.