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Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters softball

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Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters
UniversityLouisiana Tech
Head coachJosh Taylor (3rd season)
ConferenceC-USA
LocationRuston, LA
Home stadiumDr. Billy Bundrick Field (Capacity: 1,000)
NicknameLady Techsters
ColorsBlue and red[1]
   
NCAA WCWS appearances
1983, 1985, 1986
NCAA Tournament appearances
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1995, 2008, 2017, 2019
Conference Tournament championships
2008, 2017, 2019
Regular Season Conference championships
2019, 2022

The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters softball team represents Louisiana Tech University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in Conference USA. They are currently coached by head coach Josh Taylor. They play home games at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. The Lady Techsters have made eleven NCAA Tournament appearances and have advanced to the Women's College World Series three times.

On April 25, 2019, a tornado struck the Louisiana Tech campus, completely destroying the team's home stadium that was then known as the Lady Techster Softball Complex. In March of 2020, construction began on a new stadium which was completed and unveiled as the Lady Techsters' new home ahead of the 2021 spring season.

History

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In Bill Galloway’s first season as head coach of the Lady Techsters in 1981, he led Tech to a record of 52-18 and the first of three trips to the College World Series, and the tradition of winning and dominance throughout the 1980s began. Louisiana Tech reached the NCAA tournament the next six seasons, including two additional College World Series appearances in 1985 and 1986.[2]

Overall, the Lady Techsters boast three Louisiana Tech College World Series teams (1983, 1985, 1986), 11 NCAA Regional squads (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 2008, 2017, 2019) and five NFCA All-Americans.[3]

Facilities

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Lady Techster Softball Complex (1982–2019)

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The Lady Techster Softball Complex was home to Louisiana Tech Softball from 1982 until April 25, 2019 when an EF3 tornado destroyed the facility along with a number of other athletic complexes. During the course of the Lady Techsters’ 38-year history of playing at the facility, Tech posted an overall mark of 466-234, including 26 winning seasons. Initially built at a cost of $200,000 in the early 1980s under the supervision of former head coach Bill Galloway and former Tech president F. Jay Taylor, the 550-seat facility boasts brick-walled dugouts, wooden lockers, lights, batting cage and electronic scoreboard. At the time of its completion in the early ’80s, it was considered one of the finest softball facilities in the country as the nationally-ranked Louisiana Tech squads drew large crowds.[4]

Dr. Billy Bundrick Field (since 2021)

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On March 5, 2021, Dr. Billy Bundrick field was christened as the new facility for LA Tech. The field was named in honor of an orthopedic surgeon who has given 40 years of service to the University.[5]

Attendance Record

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Louisiana Tech saw a program record 1,927 fans attend the Lady Techsters home game versus LSU on March 15, 2016.[6]

Players

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All-Americans

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Player Position Year(s) Team Notes
Lea Ann Jarvis C 1984, 1985 1st Team, 1st Team LA Tech Athletic Hall of Fame; Number retired (#20)
Stacey Johnson P 1986 1st Team LA Tech Athletic Hall of Fame; Number retired (#6)
Debbie Nichols-Hedrick P 1988, 1989, 1990 1st Team, 2nd team, 2nd Team LA Tech Athletic Hall of Fame; Number retired (#13)

Academic All-Americans

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  • Faith Holman (1986)
  • Stacey Johnson (1986)
  • Paige England (1997, 1998, 1999)
  • Erica St. Romain (1999)

All-Region

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First Team

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  • Amberly Waits, shortstop (2009) (Inducted into LA Tech Athletic Hall of Fame, Oct 2019)

National & Conference Awards

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National Pro Fastpitch Draft

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Year Player Position Team
2010 Amberly Waits Shortstop Chicago Bandits (No. 8 overall selection)

Coaches

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Years Name Seasons Games Win Loss Tie Pct.
1980 Barry Canterbury 1 29 7 22 0 .241
1981 Gary Blair 1 35 18 17 0 .514
1981–2002 Bill Galloway 21 1059 705 352 2 .667
2003–2012 Sarah Dawson 8 464 198 266 0 .427
2013–2019 Mark Montgomery 7 389 226 163 0 .581
2020 Maria Winn-Ratliff 1 24 8 16 0 .333
2021 Bianca Duran (Interim) 1 52 22 30 0 .423
2022-present Josh Taylor 1 (active; as of 2022)

Hall of Fame

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Regional Coach of the Year

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  • Bill Galloway, head coach (1988)

Results

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Women's College World Series Results

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Year Opponent Round W/L Score
1983 Pacific
UCLA
Texas A&M
First Round
Second Round
First Round
W
L
L
7-0
0-8
0-2
1985 Nebraska
Northwestern
First Round
First Round
L
L
0-6
0-5
0-1
1986 Indiana
Creighton
First Round
First Round
L
L
0-1
3-4

Year-by-Year Results

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Season Coach Overall Conference Notes
Games Win Loss Tie Games Win Loss Tie
Sun Belt Conference
2001[7] Bill Galloway 51 20 31 0 20 4 16 0
Western Athletic Conference
2002[8] Sarah Dawson 48 21 27 0 24 3 21 0
2003[9] Sarah Dawson 58 16 42 0 20 6 14 0
2004[10] Sarah Dawson 60 27 33 0 21 10 11 0
2005[11] Sarah Dawson 67 18 49 0 18 2 16 0
2006[12] Sarah Dawson 49 18 31 0 17 6 11 0
2007[13] Sarah Dawson 60 22 38 0 18 3 15 0
2008[14] Sarah Dawson 66 37 29 0 17 7 10 0 WAC Tournament Champions; NCAA Regional Finals
2009[15] Sarah Dawson 57 34 23 0 20 12 8 0
2010[16] Sarah Dawson 47 26 21 0 21 11 10 0
2011[17] Sarah Dawson 56 17 39 0 21 6 15 0
2012[18] Sarah Dawson 58 25 33 0 20 8 12 0
2013 Mark Montgomery 53 27 26 0 21 11 10 0
Conference USA
2014 Mark Montgomery 52 19 33 0 23 7 16 0
2015 Mark Montgomery 50 31 19 0 21 12 9 0
2016 Mark Montgomery 54 32 22 0 21 12 9 0
2017 Mark Montgomery 62 38 24 0 24 16 8 0 C-USA Tournament Champions; NCAA Tuscaloosa Regionals Round 2
2018 Mark Montgomery 57 34 23 0 24 15 9 0
2019 Mark Montgomery 61 45 16 0 24 19 5 0 C-USA Regular Season Champions; C-USA Tournament Champions; NCAA Baton Rouge Regionals

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Louisiana Tech University Identity Standards. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  2. ^ "Lady Techster Softball Complex". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  3. ^ "Lady Techster Softball Complex". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  4. ^ "Lady Techster Softball Complex". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  5. ^ ""The Diamond Dogs and Lady Techsters are home at last"". Shreveport Times. 2021-03-05.
  6. ^ "Lady Techster Softball Complex". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  7. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  8. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  9. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  10. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  11. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  12. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  13. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  14. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  15. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  16. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. 2010-05-14. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  17. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  18. ^ "Louisiana Tech Athletics – Softball". Latechsports.com. 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
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