| Aug. 30, 2005 Lori Cook named head softball coach; Stephanie Hughes remains on staff as first assistant SAN ANTONIO - Lori Cook, associate head softball coach since January and a five-year veteran of the coaching staff, has been named head softball coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, while third-year assistant coach Stephanie Hughes will remain on staff as the first assistant coach effective immediately, the school announced Tuesday. Cook replaces Corrie Hill, who resigned earlier this month to accept a position as assistant coach at the University of Texas. She began her UTSA career as a volunteer assistant coach in 2001 and then served as assistant coach for three seasons before being promoted to associate head coach this past January. During her tenure, UTSA has won two Southland Conference regular season titles, one SLC Tournament crown, made the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and led the NCAA in home runs per game three times. "First, I would like to thank Lynn Hickey, Liz Dalton, Dr. (Rosalie) Ambrosino and Dr. (Ricardo) Romo for giving me the opportunity to be promoted to head coach," Cook said. "I also want to thank Corrie (Hill) for preparing me over the last five years to take over in the role of a head coach. "I am extremely excited about taking over a very successful program that has accomplished so much and produced so many quality student-athletes over the past several years. This team has set high standards and I feel we are going to continue that into the future." A California native, Cook began her coaching career at Cal State Hayward in 1990-91 before moving to Napa Valley College as an assistant coach from 1991-95, the last season as co-head coach. She then served as head coach of the Peanuts Professional Softball Club in Italy in 1995-96, as assistant coach at Cosumnes River College in 1996-98 and assistant coach at Baylor in 1999-2000. Cook played two years at Napa Valley College, where she was named All-Bay Valley Conference twice and league MVP in 1988. She then lettered two seasons with Nebraska, leading the Cornhuskers in hitting in 1990, before playing one year of professional softball in Italy in 1992. "We are very excited that we have the quality of person and coach such as Lori Cook on our staff that we can promote to head coach," athletic director Lynn Hickey said. "She has been a part of this program for five years, so we feel her knowledge and experience will help make this a smooth transition for the student-athletes. We are also confident that her great softball background as a player and coach will help keep the program at a high level within the Southland Conference." Hughes came to UTSA in 2002 and has served as assistant coach during the most successful run in school history as the Roadrunners have captured back-to-back SLC crowns and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance. She came to UTSA from Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, where she was an assistant coach for one season. Hughes, who hails from Angleton, Texas, was a four-year letterwinner at Texas State, earning all-conference and all-region honors as an outfielder. |