GRAND FORKS, N.D. ? University of North Dakota head softball coach Sami Strinz announced today that assistant coach Randy Ward has been promoted to associate head coach and Sheena Lawrick has been added to the staff as an assistant coach.
Ward came to UND as an assistant coach prior to the 2008 season and served as the team's hitting coach. Under Ward's tutelage, the Fighting Sioux hit more home runs (67) in 2008 than any team in the history of the North Central Conference. UND also established new single-season school records for batting average (.304), runs (279), hits (410), runs batted in (255), total bases (687) and walks (160).
Ward helped tutor All-America outfielder Casie Hanson, who hit a school-record .534 and was one of four Fighting Sioux to shatter the school's single-season home run record last season.
“Coach Ward more than proved himself by leading our team's offensive explosion last year,” said Strinz. “I feel that Randy has poured his blood, sweat and tears into the program and people should be rewarded for that kind of hard work and dedication. I am thrilled to have Coach Ward as an associate head coach.”
Lawrick is a two-time Olympian who lettered at the University of Nebraska from 2002 to 2005. While with the Cornhuskers, Lawrick was named to the NCAA All-Midwest Region team in 2005, when she was also selected Nebraska's Co-Offensive Player of the Year. She was a team co-captain as a junior and senior and and led the team to Big 12 championships in 2003 and 2004. In 2003 she was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team. In her four seasons with the program, Lawrick and the Huskers went 170-71 (.705) and earned a berth in the 2002 College World Series.
“We are really excited to have Coach Lawrick on staff,” said Strinz. “Sheena brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, not only playing for a nationally renowned softball program at Nebraska, but having competed in two Olympics.”
Lawrick ranks 10th all-time at Nebraska with a .470 career slugging percentage and ranks 19th with a .299 career batting average. Lawrick, a native of Calgary, Alberta, graduated from Nebraska in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in child development.
Lawrick represented Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. In 2008 Lawrick started every game at first base and helped lead Canada to a fourth-place finish, its best Olympic showing every.
Lawrick has spent the past eight years on the Canadian National Team and in 2006 she helped lead Canada to a silver medal at the Canada Cup and an appearance in the 2006 World Championships in Beijing.
The Fighting Sioux went 19-34 overall last season and begin play as a Division I program in 2008-09.
