Marietta's softball coaches named OAC Staff of the Year

May 8, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — Monday (May 8) was a day of mixed emotions for Marietta College Head Softball Coach Jeanne Arbuckle. In the morning, she found out that her team's season had come to an end without an invitation to the NCAA Regional. In the afternoon, Arbuckle was made aware that she and her assistant coaches — Betsy Hada and Shelly Koehler — were named the 2006 OAC Staff of the Year.

It is the first time that the Pioneer softball staff earned the distinguished honor, which was voted on by the OAC coaches. The league began honoring the coaching staff instead of just the head coach in 2003.

Arbuckle, who earned her 300th win while the team was in Florida during spring break, improved her 19-year career coaching record to 328-326 (.502).

Marietta finished its historic season with an overall record of 33-11. The Pioneers finished runners-up to Muskingum in the OAC Tournament. It was the second time the Pioneers took second place in the OAC Tournament. Marietta also claimed a second place finish in the inaugural OAC Tournament, which was held in 1985.

Marietta completely rewrote its single-season team record book in 2006. The Pioneers set new standards in games (44), victories (33), winning percentage (.750), runs (194), at-bats (1149), hits (329), doubles (49), triples (13), RBI (164), sacrifices (76), put outs (899), fielding average (.968), batters struck out (265), innings pitched (299.6) and ERA (1.57).

The Pioneers lose just a pair of seniors — Sue Schwamberger (Covington) and Stephanie Houston (Newark/Licking Valley) — from this year's talented squad, so they plan to regroup and begin preparing to make a run at the OAC title again in 2007.