Just a couple of weeks ago, we ran a full update on the assistant coaching carousel, covering a number of transactions and changing of the guard. Now, just a short time later, it’s time for a whole new roundup of the latest happenings!
Tennessee Tech hires Marisa Runyon
We covered this transaction in an article shortly after it was announced. The former Alabama standout, nicknamed Home Runyon during her playing career, is still in the early years of her coaching career, and this is the first Division I coaching position that she has held.
Eastern Kentucky adds Hayley Sims to staff
Sims rounds out the EKU staff, and will begin her full-time coaching career with the Colonels. She spent the 2020 season as a graduate assistant at Coastal Carolina, and is still in the process of getting her Master’s degree from the school. A 2019 graduate of Jacksonville State, Sims was part of a Gamecocks squad that reached the NCAA regional round three times during her playing career.
Rachel Houck promoted at Eastern Illinois
After spending the last two seasons as a graduate assistant at EIU, Houck has been promoted to the full-time role. She replaces program alum Carly Willert, who recently left coaching. Houck began her playing career at Louisville and transferred to Ball State following her freshman year. She was an all-region selection as a senior and recorded a perfect stolen base percentage that year. She served as the volunteer assistant at her alma mater for one year before beginning her tenure at EIU.
Louisville names Hannah Dossett to support staff
Following a four-year playing career on the softball diamond at Syracuse, Dossett spent her fifth year of eligibility with the women’s basketball team at Saint Louis, and now returns to the dugout as a graduate manager at Louisville. Dossett was a four-year starter during her career at Syracuse and helped guide the program to more than 100 wins during her tenure.
Hunter Mundy joins North Carolina State staff
Fresh off of her own playing career at Radford, Mundy will be a graduate assistant on the Wolfpack staff. Mundy was named the 2019-20 Scholar Athlete of the Year in the Big South, and finished her playing career ranked in Radford’s all-time top 10 in career home runs and slugging percentage.
Valparaiso fills out staff with hiring of Natalie Ruechel
Valpo head coach Kate Stake has officially filled out her coaching staff with the addition of Ruechel. The daughter of Buffalo head coach Mike Ruechel, Natalie spent the 2020 season as an assistant at UNC-Wilmington and previously spent three years at Averett University, including a single season as the program’s head coach. In her new role, Ruechel will serve as the Crusaders’ pitching coach.
UTSA will hire Ronnie Ladines
JWOS broke this story on Monday morning, as the Roadrunners have found their new pitching coach. Ladines spent the 2020 season as an assistant coach at Utah Valley and also previously spent two years on staff at Akron. She replaces Jordan Wallace Simon, who departed the program earlier this summer after four years as an assistant.
