By: Brad Caudill, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations – Ball State University
MUNCIE, Ind. – – Ball State softball head coach Tyra Perry has finalized her coaching staff for the upcoming 2014 season, with Kassie Stanfill remaining onboard as an assistant coach, Erica Sisson joining as an assistant coach and Rebecca Rousseau joining as a volunteer assistant.
Kassie Stanfill, a four-time NCAA Regional participant as a player for Louisville (2006-09), enters her second season as an assistant coach for the Ball State softball program in 2014. After working primarily with the outfielders last season, Stanfill will take over duties as the team’s pitching coach this season.
“I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to retain Kassie on staff,” Perry said. “She has a genuine love for the Ball State players and she is committed to helping advance the program to even greater heights. She will take on a new role as the pitching coach this season. Kassie was trained by some of the top pitching coaches in our sport, and she is excited to have a chance to transfer her knowledge to our talented pitching staff.”
In her first year on the Cardinals’ staff, Stanfill helped guide the program to a 37-17 overall record, an 18-3 ledger in Mid-American Conference action and the program’s fourth MAC regular season championship in the past five seasons. In working with the outfielders, Stanfill helped junior left fielder Jennifer Gilbert become the first All-American (NFCA All-America Third Team) in program history and earn her second MAC Player of the Year honor.
Prior to joining the Ball State staff for the 2013 season, Stanfill spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee. Primarily responsible for developing the hitters and outfielders at MTSU, Stanfill helped the Blue Raiders offense establish a program record with 41 home runs in 2012. The team’s batting average also climbed from .247 in 2010 to .272 in 2012 under her guidance, while the program finished the 2012 season with the second-best slugging percentage in program history at .424. She also helped coach a pair of players to All-Sun Belt First Team honors during her tenure.
Before her coaching career, Stanfill was a four-year letterwinner (2006-09) and two-year team co-captain (2008-09) for the Louisville softball program. A two-time All-Big East Third Team selection, Stanfill was a .293 career hitter for the Cardinals, posting 155 hits over her career, including 29 doubles, six triples and 10 home runs. She also made 68 career appearances in the circle for U of L, posting a 2.72 career earned run average, a 27-13 record and 227 strikeouts.
Erica Sisson joins the Ball State staff after serving as the volunteer coach for her alma mater UAB last season. In her year on the Blazers staff, Sisson helped guide the team to a 40-19 overall record and the program’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Super Regionals.
“Erica is an up and coming coach who will bring instant enthusiasm to our program,” Perry said. “Last season, Erica helped UAB reach new heights as the program competed in its first-ever NCAA Super Regional. Erica has a vast knowledge of the game of softball and knows how to win at the highest level. I am very happy she chose to join us at Ball State.”
Part of the 2013 NFCA Mideast Coaching Staff of the Year, Sisson assisted with hitting and infield development, plus served as the catching coach for the Blazers. UAB, which made its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Regionals, also captured the program’s first Conference USA Regular Season Championship last season.
In addition to her brief stint on the UAB staff, Sisson was a coach for the Crusaders 18-U Gold team for two seasons (2009-10), helping the program finish in the top 20 at the 2009 Gold Nationals and in the top 15 at the 2010 Gold Nationals. She helped develop six future NCAA Division I softball players, three future NCAA Division II players and five junior college players over her two seasons with the program. She also served as the head coach of Team Boombah Alabama 16-U in 2012.
In her four years on the Blazers’ roster, Sisson played a key role in advancing the team to three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. Over her career, Sisson recorded 131 starts in 147 appearances with primary roles at catcher or first base. Academically, Sisson was a four-time Conference USA Honor Roll honoree, a Conference USA Academic Medal recipient and a 2008-09 NFCA Academic All-American.
Rebecca Rousseau joins the Ball State staff after spending the past two seasons as the graduate assistant coach at Belhaven University. Rousseau, who also played her final two seasons of collegiate softball for the Belhaven Blazers, helped coach the team to a 38-14 overall record, a berth in the NAIA National Championships and a final ranking of 13th in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll last season.
“I am pleased Rebecca has chosen to volunteer with us this year,” Perry said. “She has been very successful at the NAIA level and will be a great asset in all areas of the game. Rebecca is a person of character and a hard worker. She will without a doubt have a tremendous impact on our program this season.”
As the team’s pitching coach last season, Rousseau helped Belhaven’s staff post a combined 2.01 ERA in the circle, with Katy Adair posting a 15-7 record and 1.95 ERA and Jessica Paris tallying a 14-3 record and 2.02 ERA.
As a pitcher for the Blazers from 2010-11, Rousseau posted a combined 25-7 record in the circle and helped guide the program to its first two berths in the NAIA National Championship Tournament. Belhaven finished sixth at the 2010 NAIA National Championships, while taking home third-place honors in 2011. Rousseau also helped the Blazers capture the 2010 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular season title.
Prior to playing at Belhaven, Rousseau was a two-year letterwinner at Copiah-Lincoln Community College (2008-09), where she posted a 29-9 overall record and was named to the 2009 MACJC All-State First Team and the 2009 NJCAA Region 23 All-Region Team. She also led the Wolfpack to a pair of MACJA Southern Division and State Championships (2008-09), a 2008 NJCAA Region 23 Championship and a second-place finish at the 2008 NJCAA National Championship Tournament.
In addition to her collegiate playing career, Rousseau competed internationally for American International Sports Tours. She helped guide her team to a third-place finish in a tournament held in Prague, Czech Republic, including pitching against the Czech National Team, the United States National Team and the Austrian National Team.
