A 20-year coaching veteran, Lori Cook enters her fifth season as head coach of the UTSA softball program.
In her four seasons as the third head coach in school history, Cook has posted an 118-99 record, including a 78-38 (.672) mark in Southland Conference play. Under her direction, UTSA has won at least 18 conference games and finished in the top three in the league standings each season, captured one Southland regular season and one tournament crown and made one NCAA Tournament appearance. Seventeen Roadrunners have combined to earn 25 All-Southland accolades during her head coaching tenure.
In her first season at the helm in 2006, Cook guided the Roadrunners to a 37-14 record, their third consecutive Southland regular season title, their second Southland Tournament crown in three years and to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.
The 2006 Roadrunners shattered their own NCAA record for home runs per game, slugging a league-record 105 in 51 contests for a 2.06 average, breaking the old record of 1.87 set in 2004. Cook was tabbed Southland Coach of the Year by her peers, while 10 players earned all-conference honors (including four on the first team). Additionally, Jessica Els picked up all-region accolades and was named the Southland Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP).
In her second year, UTSA recorded an 18-12 record in league play to finish tied for third. The Roadrunners, 27-31 overall, had five players earn all-conference honors, including two first teamers, and Jessica Rogers garnered Southland Student-Athlete of the Year and ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VI accolades each for the third time, along with being named an Academic All-American and all-region performer both for the second time. Rogers also shattered Southland career records for home runs (69), runs batted in (192) and total bases (525) and set four additional school records.
Year three of the Cook era saw UTSA post a 20-10 Southland mark to finish third in the league standings. The Roadrunners were 25-25 overall and recorded victories over No. 22 Texas and Big 12 power Missouri, a team that finished 47-17 and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional Round, during the season. Four players combined for five All-Southland honors, including first-team second baseman Rudi Cantu and Danyé Holmes, who was a second-team selection at pitcher and a third-team designee at designated player in becoming the first player in school history to garner all-league accolades at two different positions in the same year.
Cook guided the Roadrunners to a third-place finish in the Southland standings with an 18-11 league ledger in 2009 as part of a 29-29 overall mark. UTSA qualified for its sixth straight conference tournament and five Roadrunners were named to the All-Southland squad.
Prior to her promotion to head coach in September 2005, Cook spent one season as associate head coach after serving as assistant coach for three seasons and a volunteer assistant in 2001, all under Corrie Hill.
As an assistant, Cook was instrumental in helping UTSA win back-to-back Southland Conference regular season titles in 2004-05. The Roadrunners also captured the 2004 Southland Tournament crown and earned the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
UTSA has posted impressive numbers since Cook’s arrival in San Antonio. Over the past six seasons, the Roadrunners have posted an overall record of 197-134 (.595), including a school-record 42 wins in 2005. UTSA owns a 122-49 record (.713) in Southland play since 2004 and is the league’s winningest program with an all-time Southland mark of 291-178 (.620).
The program has established itself nationally as a power-hitting force. In leading the nation in home runs per game in four of the past seven seasons, UTSA has launched 542 home runs in 386 games, an average of 1.40 per game. UTSA’s home runs totals of 105 (2006), 103 (2005) and 101 (2004) are third, fourth and seventh, respectively, on the all-time NCAA chart. The Roadrunners also have led the NCAA in slugging percentage in three of the last six seasons, topped by an Southland-record .582 mark in 2004.
Cook came to UTSA from Baylor where she coached pitchers and catchers in 1999-2000. She served as travel coordinator and camp director, implementing the first softball camp on campus.
She was an assistant coach at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, Calif., in 1996-98. She was in charge of pitching, catching, hitting, infield and calling pitches. Cook helped guide the team to Bay Valley Conference titles in 1996 and 1998.
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. She was co-head coach in 1995 and helped the team win four consecutive conference titles in 1991-94.
She played two years at Napa Valley College in Napa, Calif., where she was named All-Bay Valley Conference for two years and league MVP in 1988. She helped lead Napa Valley to back-to-back conference titles.
Cook then moved on to Nebraska where she lettered two years in 1989-90. She led the nationally-ranked Cornhuskers in hitting and was second in RBI in 1990.
Owning strong international ties, Cook played professional softball in Italy in 1992, one of the first Americans to play in the country’s top divisional league. She also served as head coach for the Peanuts Professional Softball Club in Italy in 1995-96. Cook has helped send a number of players, including former Roadrunners Christy Brownlee, Jennifer Davis, Stacey Gillespie, Angela Graham, Janeille Nickels, Amanda Nikolenko and Mel Torres, to the European leagues.
A 1986 graduate of Napa High School, Cook was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in September 2008.
Cook graduated from the UTSA in May 2002 with a bachelor of arts degree in sociology. She received an associate’s degree in behavioral science from Napa Valley College in 1988.
The Cook File
Career Record: 118-99 (four seasons)
Conference Titles: 1 (2006)
Conference Tournament Titles: 1 (2006)
NCAA Appearances: 1 (2006)
NCAA Statistical Titles: 2
All-Region Players: 2
All-Conference Players: 25
Coaching Experience
2005-present: head coach, UTSA
2004-05: associate head coach, UTSA
2001-04: assistant coach, UTSA
1999-2000: assistant coach, Baylor
1996-98: assistant coach, Cosumnes River College
1995-96: head coach, Peanuts Professional Softball Club (Italy)
1995: co-head coach, Napa Valley College
1991-95: assistant coach, Napa Valley College
1990-91: assistant coach, Cal State Hayward
Playing Experience
Ronchi dei Legionari (Italia A1) — 1992
Nebraska — 1989-90
Napa Valley College — 1987-88
Education
· Bachelor of arts degree in sociology from UTSA (2002)
· Associate’s degree in behavorial sciences from Napa Valley (1988)
· Graduated from Napa High School (1986)
In her four seasons as the third head coach in school history, Cook has posted an 118-99 record, including a 78-38 (.672) mark in Southland Conference play. Under her direction, UTSA has won at least 18 conference games and finished in the top three in the league standings each season, captured one Southland regular season and one tournament crown and made one NCAA Tournament appearance. Seventeen Roadrunners have combined to earn 25 All-Southland accolades during her head coaching tenure.
In her first season at the helm in 2006, Cook guided the Roadrunners to a 37-14 record, their third consecutive Southland regular season title, their second Southland Tournament crown in three years and to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.
The 2006 Roadrunners shattered their own NCAA record for home runs per game, slugging a league-record 105 in 51 contests for a 2.06 average, breaking the old record of 1.87 set in 2004. Cook was tabbed Southland Coach of the Year by her peers, while 10 players earned all-conference honors (including four on the first team). Additionally, Jessica Els picked up all-region accolades and was named the Southland Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP).
In her second year, UTSA recorded an 18-12 record in league play to finish tied for third. The Roadrunners, 27-31 overall, had five players earn all-conference honors, including two first teamers, and Jessica Rogers garnered Southland Student-Athlete of the Year and ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VI accolades each for the third time, along with being named an Academic All-American and all-region performer both for the second time. Rogers also shattered Southland career records for home runs (69), runs batted in (192) and total bases (525) and set four additional school records.
Year three of the Cook era saw UTSA post a 20-10 Southland mark to finish third in the league standings. The Roadrunners were 25-25 overall and recorded victories over No. 22 Texas and Big 12 power Missouri, a team that finished 47-17 and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional Round, during the season. Four players combined for five All-Southland honors, including first-team second baseman Rudi Cantu and Danyé Holmes, who was a second-team selection at pitcher and a third-team designee at designated player in becoming the first player in school history to garner all-league accolades at two different positions in the same year.
Cook guided the Roadrunners to a third-place finish in the Southland standings with an 18-11 league ledger in 2009 as part of a 29-29 overall mark. UTSA qualified for its sixth straight conference tournament and five Roadrunners were named to the All-Southland squad.
Prior to her promotion to head coach in September 2005, Cook spent one season as associate head coach after serving as assistant coach for three seasons and a volunteer assistant in 2001, all under Corrie Hill.
As an assistant, Cook was instrumental in helping UTSA win back-to-back Southland Conference regular season titles in 2004-05. The Roadrunners also captured the 2004 Southland Tournament crown and earned the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
UTSA has posted impressive numbers since Cook’s arrival in San Antonio. Over the past six seasons, the Roadrunners have posted an overall record of 197-134 (.595), including a school-record 42 wins in 2005. UTSA owns a 122-49 record (.713) in Southland play since 2004 and is the league’s winningest program with an all-time Southland mark of 291-178 (.620).
The program has established itself nationally as a power-hitting force. In leading the nation in home runs per game in four of the past seven seasons, UTSA has launched 542 home runs in 386 games, an average of 1.40 per game. UTSA’s home runs totals of 105 (2006), 103 (2005) and 101 (2004) are third, fourth and seventh, respectively, on the all-time NCAA chart. The Roadrunners also have led the NCAA in slugging percentage in three of the last six seasons, topped by an Southland-record .582 mark in 2004.
Cook came to UTSA from Baylor where she coached pitchers and catchers in 1999-2000. She served as travel coordinator and camp director, implementing the first softball camp on campus.
She was an assistant coach at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, Calif., in 1996-98. She was in charge of pitching, catching, hitting, infield and calling pitches. Cook helped guide the team to Bay Valley Conference titles in 1996 and 1998.
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. She was co-head coach in 1995 and helped the team win four consecutive conference titles in 1991-94.
She played two years at Napa Valley College in Napa, Calif., where she was named All-Bay Valley Conference for two years and league MVP in 1988. She helped lead Napa Valley to back-to-back conference titles.
Cook then moved on to Nebraska where she lettered two years in 1989-90. She led the nationally-ranked Cornhuskers in hitting and was second in RBI in 1990.
Owning strong international ties, Cook played professional softball in Italy in 1992, one of the first Americans to play in the country’s top divisional league. She also served as head coach for the Peanuts Professional Softball Club in Italy in 1995-96. Cook has helped send a number of players, including former Roadrunners Christy Brownlee, Jennifer Davis, Stacey Gillespie, Angela Graham, Janeille Nickels, Amanda Nikolenko and Mel Torres, to the European leagues.
A 1986 graduate of Napa High School, Cook was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in September 2008.
Cook graduated from the UTSA in May 2002 with a bachelor of arts degree in sociology. She received an associate’s degree in behavioral science from Napa Valley College in 1988.
The Cook File
Career Record: 118-99 (four seasons)
Conference Titles: 1 (2006)
Conference Tournament Titles: 1 (2006)
NCAA Appearances: 1 (2006)
NCAA Statistical Titles: 2
All-Region Players: 2
All-Conference Players: 25
Coaching Experience
2005-present: head coach, UTSA
2004-05: associate head coach, UTSA
2001-04: assistant coach, UTSA
1999-2000: assistant coach, Baylor
1996-98: assistant coach, Cosumnes River College
1995-96: head coach, Peanuts Professional Softball Club (Italy)
1995: co-head coach, Napa Valley College
1991-95: assistant coach, Napa Valley College
1990-91: assistant coach, Cal State Hayward
Playing Experience
Ronchi dei Legionari (Italia A1) — 1992
Nebraska — 1989-90
Napa Valley College — 1987-88
Education
· Bachelor of arts degree in sociology from UTSA (2002)
· Associate’s degree in behavorial sciences from Napa Valley (1988)
· Graduated from Napa High School (1986)