BOONE, N.C. ? Amy Herrington has been named just the second head softball coach (fast-pitch) in Appalachian State University history, director of athletics Charlie Cobb announced on Wednesday. Herrington replaces Willie Rucker, who stepped down from the position that she held since 2000 due to medical reasons.
“The Appalachian athletics family is grateful for Coach Rucker and the commitment that she put into building this program from the ground up the past seven years,” Cobb said. “At the same time, we are excited that Coach Herrington will be taking over the program and look forward to her carrying it to even greater heights.”
Herrington is in her fourth year at Appalachian, having served two seasons as the program’s first full-time assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach last year. Herrington, who worked primarily with ASU’s hitters and position players in her previous role, has seen numerous team records fall under her tutelage, include single-season marks for batting average, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.
Prior to her arrival at ASU, Herrington spent a season on the coaching staff at Florida State, where she helped guide the Seminoles to a fifth-place finish at the 2004 Women’s College World Series and Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA Regional championships. For their efforts. Herrington and the entire FSU staff were honored as the 2004 Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.
A 2003 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, Herrington was a three-time all-Ohio Valley Conference selection for the Colonels and led EKU to 2002 OVC regular-season and tournament titles.
A native of Olympia, Wash., Herrington is married to Jonathan Woodard, another former standout student-athlete at EKU. The couple resides in Mountain City, Tenn.
Rucker led the Mountaineers to a 134-260 record in the program’s first seven seasons, including four-straight 20-win seasons to close out her tenure. In 21 seasons as a collegiate head coach, she compiled 492 victories in stops at Montclair State and Western Oregon.
A nationwide search for an assistant coach to fill Herrington’s previous position will begin immediately.