Aug. 21, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Assistant coach Michele Hawkins resigned as pitching coach of the Penn State softball team on Saturday. The second-year assistant will accept a coaching position at the University of Delaware.
"Michele did a great job with the program," head coach Robin Petrini said. "We appreciate her dedication and hard work at Penn State. We wish her the best of luck on her future endeavors."
Hawkins joined the Penn State softball team on September 9, 2008. In her two years as the pitching coach, she helped guide the successes of Jackie Hill (San Jose, Calif.) and Lisa Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) as well as helping with the catchers.
"I'd like to thank Coach Petrini and Penn State University for the opportunity to coach here," Hawkins said. "I have grown both as a coach and an individual through my experience at Penn State and wish the team a successful future."
In her second year at the helm of the pitching staff, Hawkins helped lower the team earned run average from 2.92 in 2009 to 2.65 in 2010. Akamine's improvement was marked by a drop in ERA from 4.24 to 2.92, earning the team's Most Improved Award at the year-end banquet.
Under Hawkins' watch, Hill was also in the top five in many Big Ten pitching categories for the 2010 season. She was first in strikeouts looking (78), saves (4) second in the league in batting average against (.197), third in strikeouts (211, a single-season career high).
The 2010 Nittany Lion softball team went 29-22 for the season, a 12-win improvement from 2009. PSU loses just one starter in Academic All-America Third Team honoree Ashley Griffith. Next season will be Petrini's 15th in charge of the Nittany Lions as the winningest coach in program history. Penn State also opens brand new Nittany Lion Park, a $10.2 million stadium complex, which will be one of the finest softball facilities in the country.
For complete coverage of all the Nittany Lion softball this season, visit GoPSUsports.com.
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--NITTANY LIONS--