Louisiana College softball and first-year head coach Bobby Buchanan have added two names to the to staff entering the 2018 season. Tori Fite joins the staff as assistant coach and Krystle Coleman joins the staff as a volunteer assistant. Both bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Wildcat softball program.
Fite joins the Wildcats after serving as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Mich. last season. She was a 2013 All-Crossroads League Honorable Mention as well as a member of multiple National Fastpitch Coaches Association NAIA All-Academic Teams. She started 165 games for the Cougars, primarily as a short stop, but transitioned to the outfield due to a team need at that position. Her primary role at LC will be to work with the outfielders while assisting with hitting drills.
"I was thrilled to be joining the LC softball program because of the Christian environment, competitive conference, wonderful athletic department," Fite said. "I am looking forward to working along side our other coaches and learning from their experience. I am also very excited to help build off of the success from previous years and am already looking forward to the season."
Krystle Coleman joins the staff in a volunteer capacity and will work primarily with the Wildcat catchers. Coleman played collegiately at Northwestern State, as the Demons catcher from 2000-04. Quick behind the plate, she had an 85% caught stealing rate and used her knowledge to work with catchers across the country at many camps and clinics after her graduation. She began her coaching career a Holy Savior Menard in Alexandria before serving as an assistant coach at NSU. She is currently the athletic director at Northwood-Lena High School.
"It's definitely a breathe of fresh air from coaching high school," Coleman said. "I look forward to working with eager, young, vibrant, faces everyday."
Buchanan is entering his first year as head coach of the storied Louisiana College softball program and knows the value and importance of quality assistants to a winning program.
"Coach Fite is a huge addition to our program and staff," Buchanan said. "She will not only be a great coach on the field but her everyday enthusiasm will be contagious to the team and will spill over into our players lives. She also brings some quality recruiting experience across the country which will help promote our program to an out-of-state recruiting base.
"Coach Coleman has a plethora of knowledge that will be utilized by our program and we are so fortunate to have her on staff. She is someone who I believe will help push the team and will find ways to get the most out of our athletes, which is always a crucial aspect of any coach's job."
The 2018 softball season begins on February 3 as the Wildcats open the season with a doubleheader against Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. Their first home games come a week later as they host Centenary College in a doubleheader on February 13, and open American Southwest Conference play three days later with rival East Texas Baptist University. For more on Louisiana College softball follow @LC_sftball on Twitter or like them on Facebook.
