No Rebuilding Year, Instead a Year of Opportunity

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The Pacific University Softball team recently gained a new head coach since the search began in early August. After a challenging six weeks of interviewing and background checks of many candidates, Athletic Director Keith Buckley and Lauren Brownrigg, Senior Associate Athletic Director / Senior Woman Administrator, selected Katie Duroe to be the new head coach.

“We wanted to find a coach for the girls as fast as we could to give them the fall ball experience,” said Buckley.

Buckley stressed that he wanted to find a coach that not only could continue to create a  successful softball program, but could also enhance the student-athlete experience and help the players become young adults.

“We are excited to have Coach Duroe as our softball coach and a part of the Boxer family,” said Brownrigg. “She is a great leader and a strong recruiter.”

Duroe has many years of experience on the softball field. Duroe spent the past three years at Bushnell University as the head softball coach and also played softball at the collegiate level at Baker University. 

With no intentions of possibly coaching at Pacific Univerisity, Dunroe was on campus the past summer helping coach a softball camp. Coincidentally, the head coaching position opened up shortly after and Dunroe had no hesitation taking the opportunity up. 

“While I was coaching at the camp I had a chance to look around the campus,” said Duroe. “I love the athletic facilities that Pacific has and the family culture that Pacific has as well.” 

With the softball program graduating 10 seniors and losing a head coach last year many people view this upcoming season as a “rebuilding year”. Duroe disagrees and said this is no rebuilding year, but instead a year of opportunity. 

“The girls have been waiting for this all year and have been working their butts off,” Duroe said. “I wanted to establish that family culture here but when I arrived I could see it was already here.” 

Duroe is excited to get to know her players better and grow a closer connection with them this fall ball before the season begins next year. With new beginnings and fresh faces, the softball team will be on the hunt for that Northwest Conference Championship. — Rustin Williams

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