June 24, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky softball head coach Rachel Lawson has promoted Kristine Himes to associate head coach, it was announced Friday.
“Coach Himes has been an integral part of our program’s success over the past four seasons,” Lawson said. “She is both a tireless and intelligent coach who not only has been an asset on the field, but also as a recruiter.
“Most importantly, I believe that the decision to restructure our program so that Himes was in complete control of the offense is one of the major reasons why Kentucky softball reached new heights in 2011. In addition to having an advanced understanding of hitting mechanics, Himes understands what it takes to generate offense in the SEC.”
With Himes as the third base coach and in full control of the offense, the 2011 squad shattered six single-season UK offensive records including batting average and home runs. The Blue and White posted a .295 batting clip and broke loose for 65 home runs. Four different UK batters smashed 10 or more dingers, marking the first time in school allure three or more players belted double-figure homers.
The Wildcat offense also generated the most runs scored, RBI, walks and total bases in 2011. Junior Brittany Cervantes owns the school record for career homers (35) just three seasons into her career, and junior Rachel Riley made the most dramatic leap in batting average from one season to the next by batting more than .150 higher than in her sophomore season.
Seniors Meagan Aull and Megan Yocke were tabbed SEC Players of the Week following a pair of breakout weekends in SEC action. Aull smacked four home runs in a sweep of the eventual national-runners up in Florida. Yocke batted .667 in a weekend series win over Tennessee which included a three-run home run that tied the score in the bottom of the seventh inning.
It was UK’s offensive explosion that shined in the NCAA Regional in Ann Arbor, Mich., as the Wildcats took down top-25 ranked Notre Dame and Michigan to advance the squad to its first NCAA Super Regional in school history. UK broke open for a combined 15 runs in the opening two contests and then used a seventh-inning rally to knock off No. 2 Michigan on its home field.
Himes joined Lawson at Kentucky in the fall of 2007 and has quickly helped transform the Wildcats into a national contender.
In addition to her duties on the field, Himes also serves as the operations coordinator for the Blue and White. She is responsible for the day-to-day logistics, scheduling and travel for the team. Himes serves as the UK Softball Camps and Clinics coordinator. She has developed several clinics, including skills, positional and coaching.
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK softball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.
