Softball Adds Final Assistant
8/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Aug. 22, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Miss Softball Head Coach Howard Dobson announced the hiring of Gessica Hufnagle as assistant coach for the Golden Eagle softball program. This hiring is subject to approval by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.
"We are extremely excited to add Gessica to our staff," Dobson said." She is a young coach that will bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to our program. She will work mainly with our defense and assist me with the hitters. With her successful playing career and knowledge of the game, I look forward to working with her."
Hufnagle comes to Southern Miss after spending one season as an assistant coach at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Ind., where she helped the team win the MCC Conference Championship, the NAIA Region VIII Championship and advance to the NAIA Nationals. She was a part of the 2008 NFCA Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year that posted a school record of 51-6.
During her stint at Bethel, Hufnagle worked primarily with the catchers as well as hitters. Other duties included assisting the head coach in day-to-day duties, recruiting, camps and the head strength and conditioning coach.
Hufnagle was a four-year letterwinner at Notre Dame, where she saw significant time as a designated hitter, pinch runner and catcher her first two seasons. She earned a starting spot her junior year as an outfielder, before finishing her career behind the plate as the starting catcher during her senior campaign.
While at Notre Dame, she batted .290, finishing third in RBIs (25) and second in on-base percentage (.383). She played on two regular season Big East Championships teams, one Big East Tournament champion and advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournaments all four seasons. She earned her bachelor's degree with a double major in graphic design and psychology in 2007.
Hufnagle gained other coaching experiences as the head coach of the Triton Trojans, a 14U travel team from Bourbon, Ind., and an assistant coach for the Jersey Intensity 18U Travel Team.
The Middlebury, Ind., native was a three-sport letterwinner at Northridge High School.