Kellyn Tate

Last updated

Kellyn Tate
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Puget Sound
Conference NWC
Biographical details
Born (1975-10-16) October 16, 1975 (age 48)
Chesterfield, Missouri
Playing career
1995–1998 Michigan
1998 Orlando Wahoos
1999–2000 Akron Racers
2001WPSL All-Stars
2004California Sunbirds
Position(s)Outfielder
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1998-2001 Penn State (asst)
2003-2006 Texas Tech (asst)
2006-2009 Miami (Ohio) (asst)
2010-2012 Portland State (asst)
2012–present Puget Sound
Head coaching record
Overall41–180 (.186) [1]
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
  • NFCA second-team All-American, 1998
  • NFCA third-team All-American, 1996
  • NFCA first-team All-Great Lakes Region, 1996, 1998
  • All-Big Ten first-team, 1996, 1997, 1998
  • WPSL batting title, 1999

Kellyn Marie Tate (born October 16, 1975) [2] is an American softball coach and former outfielder. She has been the head softball coach at University of Puget Sound since 2012. [3] She previously held coaching positions at Portland State, Miami (Ohio), Texas Tech, and Penn State.

Contents

Tate played college softball at the University of Michigan where she was a first-team All-Big Ten Conference player each year from 1996 to 1998. Her career batting average of .357 is the fourth highest in Michigan history. She later played professional softball for the Orlando Wahoos (1998), Akron Racers (1999-2000), WPSL All-Stars (2001), and California Sunbirds (2004).

Early years

Tate is a native of Chesterfield, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. [4] She played high school softball for Parkway West High School and led the team to consecutive state championships. [5] [6] [7] [8]

University of Michigan and Team USA

Tate committed to play college softball at the University of Michigan in November 1993. [9] She enrolled at Michigan in the fall of 1994 and was an outfielder for the Michigan Wolverines softball team under head coach Carol Hutchins from 1995 to 1998. [10] She received honors as an NFCA second-team All-American (1998), NFCA third-team All-American (1996), NFCA first-team All-Great Lakes Region (1996, 1998), and All-Big Ten Conference first-team (1996, 1997, 1998). She was also a co-captain of Michigan's 1998 team. She helped lead Michigan to three Big Ten championships, four Big Ten Tournament titles, and four trips to the Women's College World Series. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

She remains among Michigan's all-time career leaders in batting average (.357 - 4th), hits (272 - 7th), triples (12 - T-6th), sacrifice hits (48 - 3rd), and stolen bases (45 - 8th). [10] Tate received a bachelor's degree in sports management and communications from Michigan in 1998. She later received a master's degree in higher education from Texas Tech in 2003. [11]

Tate also played for the United States National Softball Team as a member of the national team from 1996 to 1997. [11]

Professional softball

Tate was drafted by the Orlando Wahoos in the 1998 WPSL Senior Draft. She played professional softball in the WPSL and National Pro Fastpitch for the Wahoos (1998), Akron Racers (1999-2000), WPSL All-Stars (2001), and California Sunbirds (2004). She had her best season in 1999 when she was runner up to the WPSL Hitter of the Year title with a .320 batting average, 56 hits and 19 extra base hits, but lost to Tampa Bay Firestix' Marty Laudato, who finished the 1999 campaign ranked in the top five in four offensive categories, including batting average (.311-2nd), home runs (8-2nd ), RBI (36-2nd) and slugging percentage (.480-4th). [15] [16] [17]

Coaching career

In July 2012, Tate was hired as the head coach of the softball team at the University of Puget Sound. [18] In her first year at Puget Sound, the team compiled a 2-37 (.051) record. [19]

Prior to taking over as the head coach at Puget Sound, Tate had worked for 14 years as an assistant coach at Portland State (2010-2012), Miami (Ohio) (2006-2009), Texas Tech (2003-2006), and Penn State (1998-2001). [11] [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Pro Fastpitch</span> American professional womens softball league

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), formerly the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL), was a professional women's softball league in the United States. The teams battled for the Cowles Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Berg</span> American softball coach and former player

Laura Kay Berg is an American college softball head coach for Oregon State and a former collegiate four-time All-American and Olympian. She played for the Fresno State Bulldogs from 1994–98, where she won the 1998 Women's College World Series and owns the Western Athletic Conference career records in hits, runs and triples. She is one of only four women to have won four Olympic medals in softball, having won a medal at every Olympics the sport was contested. She is second all-time in NCAA Division I career hits and at-bats. She is also a USA Softball Hall of Fame honoree.

Jenny Louise Topping is an American, former collegiate four-time first team All-American, medal winning Olympian, retired professional All-Star softball player. Topping played college softball at Washington and Cal State Fullerton primarily as a catcher. She is best known for being a member of the United States women's national softball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics that won a gold medal. She also played professionally in the National Pro Fastpitch for the Akron Racers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akron Racers</span> Softball team in Akron, Ohio

The Akron Racers were a women's softball team based in Akron, Ohio. In 2018 they moved to Cleveland and were renamed the Cleveland Comets. The team was started by Joey Arietta in 1999 to participate in the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). From 2004-2017, they have played as a member of National Pro Fastpitch (NPF).

Angela Tincher O'Brien is an American, former collegiate All-American, retired professional All-Star softball pitcher and coach. She most recently served as the pitching coach at Virginia Tech. She was a 2008 first-round draft selection for the NPF Akron Racers. She is a graduate of James River High School and a 2008 graduate of Virginia Tech. In 2013, she was hired as Virginia Tech's softball pitching coach where she owns numerous school records. She is the ACC career leader in wins, strikeouts, shutouts, innings pitched, strikeout ratio and no-hitters, while also ranking in several records for the NCAA Division I, where she is one of five pitchers to achieve 100 wins, 1,000 strikeouts, an ERA under 1.00 and average double-digit strikeouts for her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Wolverines softball</span> University of Michigan softball team

The Michigan Wolverines softball team represents the University of Michigan in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I competition. College softball became a varsity sport at the University of Michigan in 1978. Bonnie Tholl has been the head coach since 2023, following the retirement of longtime head coach Carol Hutchins. In 2005, Hutchins' team became the first Division I softball team since 1976 from east of the Mississippi River to win the Women's College World Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Morgan (softball)</span> American softball coach

Charlotte Lee Morgan is an American former professional softball pitcher and current head coach for Cal State Northridge. She played college softball for Alabama from 2007 to 2010, where she is the career leader for the school in RBIs, also ranking top-15 in the NCAA Division I. She was also named a four-time all-conference honoree and twice named SEC Player of the Year. Morgan was the No. 1 draft pick in the 2010 National Pro Fastpitch Senior Draft, beginning her career with The USSSA Pride based in Kissimmee, Florida, winning a title in 2010. In 2020, Morgan was named the head coach of the California State University, Northridge softball team after previously working at several colleges as a pitching coach.

Nicole "Nikki" Myers is an American, former collegiate All-American, right-handed hitting softball pitcher originally from St. Petersburg, Florida. She played for the Florida Atlantic University Owls from 1999 to 2002. Myers is the Atlantic Sun Conference career leader in strikeouts, ERA, shutouts, WHIP, no-hitters and innings pitched. She also owns numerous school records in both offense and pitching categories and holds the career pitching Triple Crown for the Owls and is one of three NCAA Division I softball players to reach both the 1,000 strikeouts and 50 home runs clubs for a career.

Traci Lynn Conrad is an American softball coach and former softball player. She is a coach with Select Florida Softball and previously served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame. She played professional softball for the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league from 1999 to 2000.

Kelsey Elizabeth Kollen is a former American softball player. She played college softball for the Michigan Wolverines softball team from 1999 to 2002. She was selected as the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year in 1999 and a first-team NFCA All-American in 2002. She was also selected as the first-team All-Big Ten second baseman in 1999, 2001, and 2002. She is married to former Major League Baseball relief pitcher J. J. Putz.

Patti Townsend, formerly Patti Benedict, is an American softball coach and former player. She has been a softball coach at Tallahassee Community College since 1996 and the head coach since 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megan Betsa</span> American softball pitcher and coach

Megan Renee Betsa is an American, former collegiate All-American, right-handed professional softball pitcher and coach. She is a former assistant coach at Chattanooga. She played college softball for Michigan in the Big Ten Conference, where she is the career strikeout ratio (10.7) leader for both the Big Ten and Michigan, and also ranks top-20 for the NCAA Division I. Betsa was selected seventh overall by the Akron Racers in the 2017 NPF Draft, and went on to play professionally for the now defunct Racers.

The 2001 Women's Professional Softball League season was the first year that the WPSL suspended play before relaunching the league in 2004 under the name National Pro Fastpitch. From 1997, WPSL operated under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL).

The 2000 Women's Professional Softball League season was the fourth season of professional women's fastpitch softball for the league named Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL). It was the WPSL's final season until the league relaunched in 2004 under the name National Pro Fastpitch. In 1997 and 1998, WPSL operated under the name Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1999 Women's Pro Softball League season</span> Sports season

The 1999 Women's Professional Softball League season was the third season of professional fastpitch softball for the league named Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL). In 1997 and 1998, WPSL operated under the name Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF).

The 1998 Women's Pro Fastpitch season was the second season of professional softball for the Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF). The 66-game season was divided into two-halves, with the winner of each half meeting in a championship series.

The 2000 WPSL Drafts were held on December 4, 1999, at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida during the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Convention for the 2000 season. Draft Day 2000 actually featured three drafts:

The 1999 WPSL Senior Draft was the third annual collegiate draft for the WPSL/WPF's 1999 season, and was held on Saturday, December 5, in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla, at the Tradewinds Resort in conjunction with the 1998 NFCA National Convention.

Sarah N. Dawson is an American, former collegiate All-American, softball pitcher and head coach. She played college softball for Louisiana–Monroe and is the Southland Conference career leader in wins, strikeouts, shutouts, WHIP and innings pitched. She ranks top-10 all-time in NCAA Division I for career shutouts (9th) and innings (5th).

Iyhia McMichael is an African-American, former collegiate All-American, professional 3-time All-Star, right-handed hitting softball player, originally from Nacogdoches, Texas. She was a outfielder for the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference from 2001 to 2004, ranking in several school and conference records. She would go on to be named a 4-time all-conference honoree and back-to-back SEC Player of the Year in 2003–04. She also ranks top-15 all time in the NCAA Division I for her career triples. She was later drafted No. 1 overall in the National Pro Fastpitch and played for the defunct Akron Racers from 2004 to 2007, including being named the league's first Player of The Year and winning a title in 2005; McMichael ranks top-10 for career batting average for the league. McMichael has also coached at the college level.

References

  1. "NCAA Statistics".
  2. "Kellyn Tate". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on October 6, 1999. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  3. "Puget Sound: Kellyn Tate". www.loggerathletics.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2014.
  4. "A Former Racer, Tate Enjoys Return to Town: WPSL All-Star Has Fond Memories of Akron, Thoughts of an Encore". Akron Beacon Journal. June 24, 2001. p. D1 SPORTS.
  5. Mike Eisenbath (September 9, 1993). "Parkway West Star Gets a Taste of High-Profile Amateur Softball". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  6. "Parkway West Dominates All-Metro Softball Team". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 7, 1992.
  7. "Michigan's Tate, Bears' Hacker Counted on Heavily in Playoffs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 25, 1995.
  8. Jason M. Stallman (June 30, 1996). "Local Softball Teams Up For Olympic Challenge: They Hope National Team Due for Upset". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  9. Mike Eisenbath (November 11, 1993). "Area Standouts Sign on Dotted Lines". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  10. 1 2 3 "2013 University of Michigan Softball Record Book" (PDF). University of Michigan. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Miami University Softball Program Adds Kellyn Tate as Assistant Coach". CBS Sports. July 17, 2006. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  12. Jason Stallman (May 10, 1998). "Michigan Gets Boost From St. Louis Trio". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  13. Elizabethe Holland (April 24, 1997). "Missouri's Gift To Michigan Appreciated". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  14. "Seniors leave legacy for Michigan softball". The Michigan Daily. May 26, 1998.
  15. "Penn State Digest". Centre Daily Times. August 19, 1999.(Tate named WPSL player of the week)
  16. "Work Hard? Oh Sure, But Not for the Money: Women's Pro Softball Means Competition, Not Riches". Akron Beacon Journal. May 9, 1999. p. D1 SPORTS.
  17. "Racers Continue Molding Franchise, Akron Pro Softball Club Signs Three Players". Akron Beacon Journal. April 23, 1999. p. C2.
  18. 1 2 "Kellyn Tate Selected As Next Head Softball Coach". University of Puget Sound. July 3, 2012.
  19. "2014 Results". University of Puget Sound.