Sandy Pearsall is entering her tenth year as head coach for the University of Louisville softball team. Under her guidance, the Cardinals have compiled a 324-206 all-time record, won three conference championships and have earned five consecutive NCAA regional appearances including an at-large bid in the 2008 season. In 2007, the Cardinals won the BIG EAST Conference tournament; and, for the first time in program history, earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as Louisville made its fourth-straight NCAA appearance. In 2006, the Cards had a breakout season, earning an NCAA at-large bid and advanced to the regional finals for the first time in school history. U of L also made its first appearance in the national rankings and finished the season at No. 17 in the NFCA poll. In addition, the Cards posted a program-best 45-11 overall record and won the BIG EAST regular season with a 19-3 record while winning BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year along with associate coach Carol Bruggeman and assistant Karen Marr. In addition to all of the team honors and accomplishments, Pearsall also posted her 500th career win on May 6, 2006 when the Cardinals defeated Rutgers 3-0. This is a distinctive mark in any career, but especially one which has seen the beginning of two softball programs. Pearsall has experience building softball programs in her 21 seasons as a head coach. The Cards continue to improve on their own success. In 2005, the Cardinals set a new school record with 43 overall wins. They closed their stay in Conference USA with 20-4 league tally and the regular season title. Louisville earned its second consecutive at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The 2005 success improved upon the Cards' 2004 breakout season in which they had set a record with 41 overall wins and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament in only their fifth year as a program. It all started when Pearsall put Louisville on the map with a 36-26 inaugural season in 2000, earning C-USA Coach of the Year honors along the way. Louisville followed with a 40-26 campaign in 2001. Under Pearsall's guidance, the Cardinals have placed 45 selections to league teams (27 All-Conference USA/18 BIG EAST), including two league Pitchers of the Year (Catherine Bishop - BIG EAST, 2006/Aja Sherman, C-USA, 2005), MVP (Courtney Moore - C-USA, 2005), and Freshman of the Year (Audrey Rendon - C-USA, 2004). In 2006, Lacy Wood became U of L's first softball All-American, earning third team honors. Seven Cardinals have earned NFCA Regional honors and Shannon Nord was named to the 2004 NCAA regional tournament team in Louisville's first appearance. Pearsall came to U of L after a six-year stint as head coach at Miami University (Ohio). She was tapped to start the softball program at the University of Louisville and brought with her both head coaching experience and program building expertise. She helped christen U of L's Ulmer Stadium with a winning season and earned 2000 Conference USA Coach of the Year honors along the way. "I am confident that Sandy will carefully build our new program," said Athletic Director Tom Jurich in 1999. "We want to make some noise quickly in collegiate softball and Sandy can put all the pieces in place to accomplish that." At Miami, she coached nine all-Mid American Conference selections, 16 academic all-MAC award winners and seven academic all-district honorees during her tenure. She collected her 250th career win with a 3-2 win over Penn State. "I was very excited by the challenge of starting this program from scratch," said Pearsall. "Tom Jurich has a sincere and impressive commitment to women's athletics which struck me immediately. It is great to be part of a program in an area that is growing to love fast pitch softball." Before her stint at Oxford, Ohio, Pearsall spent three seasons as head coach at Colorado State, where she posted a 78-68 mark. While at CSU, she was successful in developing the Rams into an annual contender for the Western Athletic Conference championship. Her 1990 squad captured the league title and earned Pearsall Conference Coach of the Year honors. This is not the first time Pearsall has been asked to build a program from the ground up. In 1988, she headed the newly-formed Florida A&M team and led the squad to 36 wins in two seasons. Prior to FAMU, she took the University of San Francisco softball team from the cellar of the conference to second place in just three years. Her efforts did not go unnoticed as she earned NorPac Conference Coach of the Year honors. "Everywhere I called about her, she got rave reviews," said Jurich. "We are excited to be able to attract someone of her experience and credentials." Pearsall began her coaching career as the outfield coach at the University of the Pacific. In her two seasons there, she coached a pair of All-America honorees. As a part of the 1984 team, Pearsall was inducted into the Pacific Hall of Fame for the team's fifth place finish at nationals, the best finish in UOP history. She was inducted into the Stockton Hall of Fame in 2003. As a player at Oregon State, Pearsall earned all-region outstanding outfielder and defensive honors and served as team captain in 1983. She played for two years in Women's AA ball, where she was named to seven all-tournament teams. She played six years in the Women's Open Division and was named to 16 all-tournament teams and made five national appearances. "Louisville softball is igniting the fans in this area," said Julie Hermann, associate athletic director/senior woman administrator. "I am thrilled to be a part of getting this sport underway on excellent footing." Pearsall remains active in her sport at a national level as well. She has served on the All-American Selection Committee, the NCAA West Regional Ranking Committee, the Mid-American Softball Executive Committee as well as her membership in the National Softball Coaches Association and the ASA Northern California Umpire Association. She has coached at NCAA YES Clinics and various camps helping to develop the sport of fastpitch. In 2003, she worked for CSTV, serving as the color analyst for the C-USA Championship game. Pearsall's file
Coaching Career |
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