Rounding Third Softball

Oregon volunteer assistant Jo Koons is joining the coaching staff at Longwood. Koons joins the Lancers full-time after being with the Ducks since August 2019. She has also had coaching stops at Utah State, Lassen College, Colorado Christian, and Stanford. This is the second staff member Oregon has lost in the last few weeks as Justin Shults recently departed the Ducks for the head coaching job at Boise State.

RTS has learned that Hendrix College will name Mark Suire their new head coach. Suire has spent the last six seasons leading the program at Centenary College. He replaces longtime coach Amy Weaver that stepped down after 19 seasons leading the Warriors, but will continue as Director of Athletics at Hendrix.

After becoming the top national story of the 2021 postseason with their run to and in the WCWS, James Madison has been named the 2021 NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year. Head coach Loren LaPorte, along with associate head coach Jennifer Herzig and assistant coach Libby Morris, led JMU to the program’s first Women’s College World Series appearance while also knocking off the top-seed of the NCAA Postseason in their first game. The Dukes made the final four of the championship event and finished the season with a 41-4 record.

An active 24 hours for the program at Central Arkansas might be an understatement. Head coach David Kuhn stepped down after 13 seasons and a 380-328 record to accept the head coaching position at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. UCA then wasted little time promoting associate head coach Jenny Parsons to replace Kuhn. Parsons has been with the program since 2011 after joining the Bears after an eight year stint as head coach at Nicholls State. UCA also announced that current volunteer assistant and former Young Harris coach Kayla Lucas would be bumped to a full-time position on staff.

Purdue University Fort Wayne head coach Germaine Fairchild has resigned. Fairchild coached the Mastodons for seven seasons compiling a 70-243 record.

After five seasons leading the program, Carie Dever-Boaz will step down as head coach at West Alabama RTS has learned. Dever-Boaz guided the Tigers since 2016 and compiled a record of 97-121. Dever-Boaz will be moving into athletic administration on the high school level in Mississippi.

Tennessee co-head coach Ralph Weekly has announced his retirement after 35 years in coaching. Weekly finishes his career with a 1,450-481-2 record. He had head coaching stints at Pacific Lutheran, Chattanooga, and the last 20 years at Tennessee. He is No. 4 all-time among NCAA softball coaches in career wins. Wife, Karen Weekly, has agreed to a contract extension through 2025 taking on all head coaching responsibilities moving forward.

Bianca Duran has been named the new head coach at Colorado State University Pueblo. Duran spent last season as interim head coach at her alma mater Louisiana Tech, but was not retained for the permanent position. She was with the Lady Techsters for four seasons as the pitching coach before taking over the interim spot in her fifth season in 2021. La Tech was 22-30 in her lone season as a head coach.

RTS has received word from multiple sources that Georgia has parted ways with assistant coach Rachel Fico. Associate head coach Tony Baldwin was promoted to head coach to replace the legendary Lu Harris-Champer on a Monday, and has seemingly wasted little time starting to make moves to mold his first coaching staff. Fico served six seasons as the pitching coach for the Bulldogs.

Galveston College has promoted Maria Winn-Ratliff to head coach while also naming her Athletic Director. She joined the Whitecaps for the 2021 season as an assistant after serving the 2020 pandemic shortened season as head coach at Louisiana Tech. Winn is best known for her extraordinary success on the junior college level at Western Nebraska and Tyler. She has compiled a career coaching record of 707-276-1.