Arendsen Will Not Return as Softball Head Coach
EUGENE ? University of Oregon Athletics Director Pat Kilkenny announced Wednesday that the contract of softball head coach Kathy Arendsen will not be renewed following its expiration on June 30, 2009.
Arendsen recently completed her seventh season with the program as the Ducks finished 16-34 overall and 3-18 in the Pacific-10 Conference. During her Oregon tenure, which included five NCAA tournament appearances, the program’s winningest coach of all time accumulated a mark of 234-176.
Her 20-year career coaching record of 606-451 included prior stops at Mississippi State (1996-2002), Yale (1992-95), Eastern Illinois (1990-91) and Western Connecticut (1983).
“After reviewing all aspects of the program, I felt it would be in the best interests of our returning student-athletes to make a change at this time,” Kilkenny said. “My decision wasn’t based on any one single facet within the program, it was more of an accumulation of multiple aspects that led to this decision.
“I have a lot of respect for Kathy and the things she has accomplished in her seven years at Oregon, and wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
Her first season in 2003 stood as one of UO’s finest when the Ducks finished 37-19 and tied for third in the Pac-10 with a 10-11 record in the ?Conference of Champions’, only a year removed from two consecutive losing seasons that included a combined total of three Pac-10 wins.
UO also enjoyed another successful run to open the 2007 campaign when it jumped out to a best-ever 36-3 start, thanks to school record 18-game winning streak, and ranked among the top 10 nationally part of the season.
Following her first campaign, UO added the following league finishes - sixth (2004), seventh (2005, ?07) and eighth (2006, ’08, ?09) ? in the eight-team conference standings. In the postseason, her Duck teams went 15-10 and advanced to the regional final in all five trips (2003, ’04, ’05, ’07, ?08).
On the individual front, her Duck players garnered four All-America honors, six All-Region nods, 12 All-Pac-10 distinctions and 18 Academic All-Pac-10 laurels. Two Ducks - senior Sari-Jane Jenkins and former Duck Jenn Poore - were drafted by the National Professional Fastpitch league.
Before her coaching career, she ranked as one of the greatest pitchers in collegiate and U.S. history during a career that included 4,038 strikeouts, three Broderick (National Player of the Year) Awards and national titles for Texas Women’s University in 1979 and ’80.
The university will begin a national search for a new head coach immediately.
Arendsen's Oregon Overall/Pac-10 Record (Place)
2003 37-19 / 10-11 (3rd-t)
2004 42-21 / 10-11 (6th)
2005 36-25 / 7-14 (7th)
2006 24-29 / 5-16 (8th)
2007 44-19 / 7-14 (7th)
2008 35-29 / 5-16 (8th)
2009 16-34 / 3-18 (8th)
Total 234-176 / 47-100
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