Kentucky named Northwestern State?s Eileen Schmidt as its new head softball coach Wednesday, Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart announced. Schmidt, a Virginia graduate and 1996 Olympic team finalist, has spent the last two seasons coaching the Demons and led the squad to a 35-28 record in 2004.
?We’re fortunate to have someone of Eileen’s caliber as our new softball coach,? Barnhart said. ?She played the sport at a high level, has coached in this league and brings head coaching experience, all of which benefits her and UK. Two qualities we look for in any coaching hire are leadership and work ethic. Eileen fits that model.?
In just two seasons at Northwestern State, located in Natchitoches, La., Schmidt coached 12 All-Southland Conference selections while taking the Demons to the conference tournament both seasons. This past year, NSU advanced to the tournament championship game. Her two-year record with the Demons was 62-61.
“I’m just thrilled about the opportunity to join the University of Kentucky athletics program, especially at such an exciting point in its history,? Schmidt said. ?Mitch Barnhart is a dynamic leader and the vision he has for Kentucky athletics, and certainly Kentucky softball, just captivated me as we discussed the job.
“I’m looking forward to getting on the field and getting to work,? Schmidt continued. ?Obviously we have some things we need to improve on to be competitive in the Southeastern Conference. We want to start with getting fundamentally sound and we want to establish a good recruiting base in the area.
“We’ll be playing catch up to some degree as we get underway, but the way Mitch Barnhart runs things at Kentucky, the support is there to help us reach our goals. There is talent in this program. It’s just maximizing what we have on hand and bringing in good players to advance the program.?
The Allentown, Pa., native has extensive experience coaching in the Southeastern Conference after spending seven years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Arkansas (1995-2002) and one season (1995) as an assistant at South Carolina. Schmidt began her coaching career with the Gamecocks in the fall of 1994 and helped guide the squad to a 50-win season and a NCAA Regional appearance in 1995. She left Columbia and was named to the first-ever softball staff at Arkansas in the fall of 1995, where she helped build the Hogs? program from the ground up. Schmidt was on staff with the Lady Razorbacks for more than a year before they opened collegiate softball play in the spring of 1997.
Schmidt, 32, assisted Arkansas to two NCAA Regional appearances and a 126-90 record in her final three seasons there. While working at UA, she earned her master?s degree in education in 2000. She earned her undergraduate degree in communication from UVA in 1994.
As a catcher at Virginia, Schmidt was named most valuable player in each of her four seasons and was named third-team All-American by the Associated Press in 1994. She was the 1993 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and was named to the All-Tournament team at the Pan-Am Qualifier. Schmidt owns UVA records for RBIs and runs scored. In 2001, Schmidt also was inducted into the Allentown Central Catholic High School Hall of Fame.
Schmidt becomes just the second coach in the Kentucky softball program?s eight-year history, replacing Beth Pruitt. Kentucky posted a 25-31-1 record in 2004, including a 6-24 mark in SEC play.
