Mizzou names new head softball coach
Mizzou Athletic Director Jim Sterk believes he has his answer for the Mizzou softball team after naming a new head coach Saturday.
Sterk named Hofstra head coach Larissa Anderson the new coach of the Tiger softball team for the 2019 season.
The move comes just three days after Sterk announced a nationwide search had begun to find a new softball coach after interim head coach Gina Fogue did not get the job.
“I am thrilled that we were able to recruit Larissa Anderson to Mizzou and am confident that she will build upon the great Tiger Softball tradition that has been established over the last 44 seasons in Columbia. She is highly-respected within the coaching community, enjoys an outstanding reputation for player development and has had tremendous success at Hofstra, first as an assistant coach, and then for the last four seasons as head coach,” Sterk said.
Anderson coached at Hofstra for four seasons and had a 125-69-1 (.644) record. Anderson notched pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, two Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) titles and four winning seasons.
“I am very proud and honored to be the next head softball coach at Mizzou,” Anderson said. “I want to thank Gina (Fogue) and her staff for their loyalty and dedication to Mizzou Softball. Our future is very bright, and I’m ready to get to work to start a new era of Mizzou Softball.”
Last season was Anderson’s best as a head coach. Hofstra finished with a record of 41-14 record, the CAA Tournament title and made a NCAA Columbia Regional. The Pride also were ranked 24th in the country to end the regular season.
Anderson inherits a Mizzou team that struggled last year by finishing last in the SEC with a record of 30-29 (6-17 SEC) and missed the SEC tournament. However, the Tigers return every starter for the next season, barring a transfer, which gives Anderson a talented squad that is coming off a top-10 recruiting class.
Anderson agreed to a five-year contract with a base salary of $185,000.
Mizzou will formally introduce Anderson in a press conference in June following the Women’s College World Series.
