Julie Jones steps down from post as Viking softball coach

July 12, 2006

Julie Jones, who compiled a 244-260-2 overall record in 10 years atCleveland State, accepted an offer to be the head softball coach at Akronon Tuesday (July 11), just two months after leading the Vikings to one ofthe most successful seasons in school history.

"I want to thank Julie for her dedication and commitment to Cleveland State over the past 13 years," CSU Director of Athletics Lee Reed said. "She's helped the program have an impact on the field, in the classroom and in the community and I wish her well at Akron."

Jones directed CSU to a 38-15 record in 2006 as the Vikings finished second in the Horizon League with a 14-7 mark. CSU set school records for overall and league victories and ranked first in the nation in stolen bases per game (2.02), 18th in triples per game (0.28), 26th in winning percentage (.717), 46th in fielding percentage (.967) and 47th in ERA (2.13).

Named the 1997 Midwestern Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year afterspending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach, Jones directedCSU to its first-ever NCAA berth and the MCC tournament title that sameyear. During her tenure in Cleveland, the Akron native compiled aschool-record 244 victories while mentoring 30 all-conference selectionsand four players who went on to play professionally.

The Vikings were also ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Associationacademic top 20 all 14 years Jones was at CSU, including a third-placefinish in 2005 when the team posted a 3.533 GPA. This past season, a pairof players earned a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americasoftball squad, while four Vikings were named to the Academic All-HorizonLeague team.

A search for Jones' successor will begin immediately.