June 17, 2010
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — University of New Mexico vice president for athletics Paul Krebs has announced that Erica Beach has been named the school’s head softball coach. Beach comes to UNM from Ohio State where she was a successful assistant for the past four seasons. It has also been announced that Lyndsey Angus and Christi Musser will serve as assistants under Beach. Beach is expected to start her new position by July 1. The hires are pending approval by the University of New Mexico Human Resources Department.
“We are excited to have a coach of Erica’s caliber lead our softball program,” said Krebs. “She has had success at every level, as a player, as a professional and as an assistant coach. She also has strong ties to the southwest part of the country including New Mexico, an area full of young softball talent.”
A former All-American and Academic All-American softball player at Arizona State, Beach has spent the past eight years building her coaching resume and playing professionally.
“Joining the University of New Mexico Athletics Department is truly a fantastic opportunity,” said Beach. “I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive administration and am ready to get this program to the top of the Mountain West Conference and into the NCAA Tournament.”
When asked about what drew her to UNM, Beach stated, “I feel the University of New Mexico offers so many things to both staff and student-athletes. There are amazing academic resources, top-notch facilities and a supportive local community. This institution has everything a student-athlete needs to be competitive on the field and successful in the classroom. All of these factors make me excited to be a New Mexico Lobo!”
Erica Beach worked with pitchers and catchers at Ohio State.
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Beach joined the collegiate coaching ranks in the summer of 2006 when she made the move to Ohio State. She worked primarily with the Buckeyes pitchers and catchers, while coordinating other aspects of the game and daily team administration. The Buckeyes hosted and advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship game in 2007, 2009 and 2010 with the 2009 team moving on to the NCAA Super Regional. In her four years at OSU, pitchers and catchers earned three All-America selections, seven All-Region honors and one Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Under Beach’s tutelage, pitcher Kim Reeder finished the Buckeyes campaign in 2009 as a third-team All-American. As a senior, Reeder set Ohio State career records for wins (77) and innings pitched (763.2) while holding the No. 2 spot for strikeouts with 706. In 2009, she also set the season record for wins (26) and complete games (23).
As a group, Buckeyes pitchers tallied 159 wins with 56 shutouts in the four years she took over coaching duties. In addition to working with the pitching staff, Beach worked with the catchers and outfielders and coordinated all team travel throughout the season.
Beach began her coaching career at the same time as her professional playing career. She led a junior squad in the Netherlands to the Dutch Junior League championship, then spent the next three years as an assistant coach at high schools in the Phoenix, Ariz., area. On staff at two programs as the same time, Beach helped lead Phoenix Country Day High School and Chaparral High School to the state tournament twice (2003, 2004). She then served as an assistant coach at Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, Ariz.
Beach played her college ball at Arizona State from 1999-2002. A pitcher and designated player, Beach led the Sun Devils to the NCAA Tournament all four seasons with two Women’s College World Series appearances in 1999 and 2002. She was named to the 2002 WCWS All-Tournament Team as a pitcher and was a three-time All-Pac-10 honoree. Also strong in the classroom, Beach was a First Team Verizon Academic All-American in 2001. Beach earned her bachelor’s degree in Broadcasting from ASU in 2003.
In the fall of 2003, Beach began her professional career in Europe playing for the Sparks Haarlem in The Netherlands. She led the team to the 2003 European Cup championship and was named the European Cup Most Outstanding Pitcher. In 2004 and 2005, she played for the Arizona Heat in the National Pro Fastpitch League and was an All-Star in 2004. From 2006-08, Beach helped lead the New England Riptide to the NPF championship.
“I’d like to thank Paul Krebs and Janice Ruggiero for putting their trust in me to steer the Lobo softball program in the right direction.”
Joining Beach will be new assistants Lyndsey Angus and Christi Musser. Angus spent the 2010 season as an assistant at her alma mater, Kentucky, while Musser spent the past seven seasons at Kansas.
Angus was part of a 2010 Kentucky staff that led the team to one of its winningest seasons in school history, the school’s first national ranking and its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Angus was a four-year letterwinner for the Wildcats from 2000-03. In her freshman season, the Wildcats captured the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division crown. Three times she was an All-SEC selection and an All-SEC Academic team member on two occasions.
Lyndsey Angus played and coached at Kentucky.
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Angus was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Regional Team in both her junior and senior seasons. As a senior in 2003, she paced the SEC in batting average, hitting a blistering .429. In each of her four seasons she was among the top 10 in batting average in the conference. Additionally, Angus still ranks among the all-time leaders at UK in 14 categories, including the career record for most walks.
Prior to joining the Kentucky staff, Angus spent three seasons, 2007-09, as an assistant coach at Centenary College in Shreveport, La., working under former UK assistant coach Mark Montgomery. With the Ladies, Angus was involved in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, scouting, conditioning and on-field instruction.
In 2009, Centenary posted a 32-23 overall record and a 13-9 mark in the Summit League. The Ladies appeared in the conference championship game before falling to Western Illinois.
Prior to her arrival at Centenary, Angus spent a year as a graduate assistant coach at Valdosta (Ga.) State. She graduated from UK in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and business administration.
Angus was a member of the National Pro Fastpitch League’s Rockford Thunder. She was a member of the league beginning in 2004, playing with the New England Riptide for her first five seasons. Angus was named the NPF Most Valuable Player in 2006 and was a member of the All-NPF team in 2005, 2006 and 2008. In her most productive season, Angus batted .357 with 19 RBI and seven doubles in 2005. In her professional career, Angus appeared in 257 games and charted 195 career hits.
“Lyndsey will add a broad softball knowledge base to this team,” said Beach. “She is one of the smartest ball players and coaches that I have the privilege to know. She is one of the most well-rounded coaches I know since she has played almost every position on the field. Along with her defensive knowledge, she will be a huge factor in the success of the offensive lineup.”
Christi Musser spent the past 12 seasons as a player and coach at Kansas.
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Musser recently wrapped up her 12th season with the Kansas softball program, having spent the last decade-plus as a player or coach for the Jayhawks. Musser spent the last eight years as an assistant coach at KU, beginning in 2003 after a successful four-year playing career.
Musser worked with the KU outfielders and helped develop the players’ slapping and short game. She was also in charge of game day defensive strategy and served as Kansas’ recruiting coordinator.
Musser, who is a three-star master coach as recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Conference coaching program, helped KU outfielder Dougie McCaulley earn her second consecutive All-Big 12 Team appointment in 2009. McCaulley was also a 2008 Midwest All-Region Second Team selection. In 2005, Heather Stanley, another outfielder for Kansas, was named All-Big 12 First Team.
While playing under former KU coach Tracy Bunge from 1999-2002, Musser earned All-America honors in 2002 as an outfielder. As a senior, Musser batted .354 with 35 runs, 30 RBI and nine home runs. In addition to being the first KU All-American since 1994, Musser was named to the 2002 All-Region and All-Big 12 teams.
A four-time All-Big 12 selection, she ranks in the top five in three offensive single-season categories at Kansas, including the third best slugging percentage (.598). During the summers of her college career, Musser played three seasons in the Women’s Major for the Arizona Storm, winning a national championship in 1999 and finishing as a runner-up in 2000.
Musser graduated from Kansas in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management.
“Christi is one of the best outfield coaches I know,” said Beach. “She was taught by some of the best and as a player was one of the best. She was a talented hitter and slapper. I look forward to seeing her bring that passion to the Lobos.”