Courtesy of Florida Gulf Coast Athletics
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Head coach David Deiros and the FGCU softball program announced Wednesday the addition of Lizi Riley to the staff for the 2014-15 academic year. Riley joins the Green and Blue as a volunteer assistant coach and begins immediately.
Riley’s primary responsibilities will be assisting coach Tom Thompson in pitching instruction and working with the Eagle outfield.
“We are ecstatic to add Lizi to our staff,” explained Deiros of the addition. “She played big-time Division I Softball and has been a successful head coach at the high school level. She brings a wealth of playing, coaching and teaching experience that will help our team.”
As a relief pitcher at the University of Texas, Riley (formerly Sowers) made 63 appearances in three seasons and produced a career earned run average of 2.20 to rank among the top-10 in the Texas all-time record books. Riley also contributed to the 2005 squad’s program record of a collective ERA of 0.60 and helped hold opponents to a batting average of .114 during that season.
Riley also combined with legendary pitcher Cat Osterman to produce a school-record combined shutouts.
Defensively, Riley never committed an error through three years on the diamond in Austin and finished her career with a perfect fielding percentage of 1.000. The mark stands as the top performance by any Longhorn in the program’s prestigious history.
Riley’s career as a student-athlete with the Longhorns was highlighted by two College World Series appearances, two top-five national finishes, 32 wins over ranked opponents and an overall record of 122-47 in three seasons.
In addition to her on-field achievements, Riley found great success in the classroom. She earned Dean’s List distinction consistently, was a Presidential Academic Award recipient and earned a nomination to the University of Texas Hall of Fame as a student-athlete.
After earning her undergraduate degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from Texas in 2005, Riley began a successful six-year career as a Class 5A high school coach and biology teacher in Texas.
Riley and her husband, David, have two young sons – James and Jake.
