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With the holidays just a few weeks ago, many teams and programs are trying to tie up loose ends before shutting down for the calendar including making coach additions.
Speaking of coaches… join us over the next several weeks as we honor these leaders on the field with our Extra Elite 100 Coach rankings!
Starting Monday, Dec. 7, 2020… the Extra Elite 100 COACH Rankings!
Here are a few involving coaching moves that have crossed our desk in the last few days… expect more to come out of this week’s NFCA Convention too!
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Ellie Cooper Named Head Coach of the Anna Maria Aquanauts in the FGCL
The Anna Maria Aquanauts announced today the addition of Ellie Cooper as head coach for the summer 2021 Florida Gulf Coast League Softball season.
“I am excited to be a part of this league because I believe that it offers a great opportunity for college athletes to continue to gain great experience outside of NCAA competition,” stated Coach Cooper.
“The high quality of competition and athletes in this league offers an opportunity you cannot find anywhere else during the summer off-season for players looking to gain more experience through game repetitions, not just practice repetitions. I think the opportunity for growth of this league is limitless.”
“I know if I had access to a league as competitive as the FGCL when I was in college,” Cooper continued, “I would have jumped at the opportunity knowing it would give me an edge going into the next fall of my career.”
The new coach has an extensive and impressive softball resume including playing at Florida State where she served as a captain in 2017 and as a graduate assistant coach of the 2018 national championship team, as well as being part of the 2018 National Coaching Staff of the Year.
Born in New Zealand, Cooper has played in six world championships with the New Zealand national team and was captain for her last two world championships. She also was an assistant coach with East Carolina University in 2019 and 2020. Cooper works as a private instructor at ProSwings in Orlando and is a certified mental performance coach.
“My hope is that I can give each athlete on my team something to go home with that will allow them to be a better athlete for themselves and their team heading into the next season,” Coach Cooper said. “I want each player to be able to get everything that they can get of their time playing in this league so whatever I need to do to help each individual, I will.”
“Our goal as a team will be to win each day by investing in the process of learning from each opportunity we are presented with. If each individual can grow day by day, the team will benefit. We will grow better together and win a lot of games and share a lot of laughs along the way!”
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Former Alabama All-American Courtney Morgan Takes Over at CSUN
CSUN Director of Athletics Mike Izzi announced today that Charlotte Morgan has been named the seventh head coach in Matadors’ softball history.
“After an extensive search process, I am truly excited to welcome Charlotte Morgan to the Matador family,” Izzi said. “She has an exceptional softball background. Her passion for the game and most importantly the development of our student-athletes is at the forefront of her vision for the program. I am excited to see the growth the softball team will show under Charlotte’s leadership.”
“I am thankful for the opportunity that Mike (Izzi) and Shareef (Amer, CSUN Associate Athletic Director and chair of the search committee) have given me,” said Morgan. “I have always aspired to be a Division I head coach and I am looking forward to working with a program that has a rich history. I am ecstatic about being closer to home and family. We are in a great conference and a great location. I am looking forward to getting started.”
As a player, the Moreno Valley, Calif. native was a three-time NFCA All-American for the University of Alabama. A two-time SEC Player of the Year and a three-time first-team All-Conference selection. She was a two-time USA Softball player of the year top 10 finalist and won the Senior Lowe’s CLASS Award in 2010, which is awarded to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in 10 NCAA Division I sports.
Morgan also earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors on three occasions including first-team honors as a senior. To date, Morgan is Alabama’s only SEC Player of the Year selection.
In the circle at Alabama, Morgan pitched in 86 games with 65 starts and compiled a 51-12 overall record with a 2.12 ERA. At the plate, she posted a .387 batting average, 58 home runs, and a then SEC career-record 264 RBI. She led the Crimson Tide to appearances in the 2008 and 2009 Women’s College World Series as the team went 219-40 over her playing career.
In Feb. 2010, Morgan was the overall first pick of the first National Pro Fastpitch Senior Draft, going to the USSSA Pride. Morgan played for the Pride from 2010-12 before moving to the Akron Racers for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. She was all-NPF in 2010 and again in 2013.
Morgan arrives in Northridge from UT Arlington where she was the pitching coach for two years. During the 2018 season she helped the Mavericks to a 30-win season and helped guide Randi Phillips to All Sun-Belt Conference honors as a freshman. UTA’s three-pitcher rotation helped the program to a top-four finish in the Sun Belt and an NISC Regional title. UT Arlington picked up wins against nationally-ranked teams Texas State, Louisiana, and Oklahoma State.
Morgan moved to UTA from Oklahoma State where she was the Cowgirls’ pitching coach for two seasons. Under Morgan’s leadership, the Oklahoma State pitchers shined down the stretch to help lead the Cowgirls back to the postseason for the first time since 2011. Senior Kacy Freeze finished with 19 wins, the fourth most in the Big 12, and four saves, the second-most in the conference.
Morgan took her first head coaching position while still on staff at Oklahoma State when she took the helm of the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch League in the Summer of 2017. She continued with the team in 2018 when the squad was rebranded the Cleveland Comets
Before joining the Oklahoma State staff, Morgan was the pitching coach at Georgia Tech for two years. Under Morgan’s guidance, Kylie Kleinschmidt posted a 2.77 ERA in 2014 while leading the team in complete games (20) and shutouts (three). In 2015, Morgan helped develop freshman Christina Biggerstaff into one of the ACC’s most lethal young pitchers. Her 10.1 strikeouts per seven innings were seventh nationally. Also, in 2015, Kleinschmidt and Biggerstaff teamed up to toss combined no-hitters on consecutive days.
Morgan began her coaching career at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla. She worked for ESPN from 2011 through 2013 as a color commentator for SEC games and as an in-studio analyst.
What They Are Saying About Charlotte Morgan
Pat Murphy, Head Coach, University of Alabama
“First, let me say congratulations to Charlotte and the Northridge program. She was one of the best players we have ever had here at Alabama. She was so competitive and literally would put fear into our opponents when she came to bat. She was so much fun to watch. Our fans would get on the edge of their seats every time she came to the plate. Charlotte’s hire will bode well for the Matadors. Being a two-way player, she understands both the offensive and defensive sides of the game and she knows softball inside and out.”
Kenny Gajewski, Head Coach, Oklahoma State
“It is an exciting day for CSUN and the Matador program. Charlotte is one of the best players in the history of the game. She is a hard worker with West Coast ties and comes from a family that is heavily involved in travel softball. Charlotte was a good fit for our staff when we came in to rebuild our program. She did a good job of nurturing our kids as we got things turned around in the right direction.”
PeeJay Brun, Head Coach, UT Arlington
“Charlotte is well prepared to become the head coach at CSUN. As a pitcher who didn’t throw hard, she was able to troubleshoot our pitchers’ mechanics and teach the pitchers how to be effective. But as a two-way player, she was also able to teach our batters what to look for at the plate. Playing and coaching across many different levels, she is a well-rounded coach.”
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Tampa Mustangs Add 15-Year Coaching Veteran Billy Watson
One of the top club teams in the nation, the Tampa Mustangs, got stronger recently when the head of the organization’s top 18U team, T.J. Goelz, announced last week that Coach Billy Watson has joined Tampa Mustangs-TJ.
“Watson brings 15 years of coaching experience and an outstanding reputation amongst peers and college coaches,” according to Goelz.
The new coach founded the Florida Impact organization in 2015 and has been involved with travel and/or high school softball since 2006.
“Coach Billy has been involved with 35 players receiving D1 and D2 scholarships with Florida Impact and several other players that did not play for Impact,” Goelz added. “His teams always finished in the top 10 at ASA/USA, JO Cup , and PGF Platinum National Championships.”
More Exciting News!Coach T.J. is proud to announce a strong addition to the TMTJ coaching staff effective immediately. Coach Billy Watson has joined Tampa Mustangs-TJ and will bring 15 years of coaching experience and an outstanding reputation amongst peers and college coaches. pic.twitter.com/o1uxUmad40
— Tampa Mustangs TJ (@TampaMustangsTJ) November 30, 2020