Sami Strinz begins her second year as co-head coach for Academy of Art University Softball.
Coaching alongside Randy Ward, Strinz and the Urban Knights went 17-32 overall (13-19 in Pacific West Conference) in 2013. The year was highlighted by a stretch in mid-February and early March in which ART U won seven of 10 games that included a pair of games won on steals of home and a
10-7 comeback victory over 2012 PacWest champion California Baptist. Later in the season, the Knights would top conference rival Notre Dame de Namur in
walk-off fashion to conclude the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, CA.
With several years of Division I coaching experience, Strinz joined Academy of Art after serving as an assistant coach for a Saint Mary's team that captured the 2012 Pacific Coast Softball Conference Coastal Division Championship.
After joining the SMC coaching staff in 2011, Strinz helped the Gaels finish the 2012 season with a 26-23 record and stood atop the Coastal Division of the PCSC, posting a program-best 15-4 record in conference. As the pitching coach, Strinz led Jessica Lemmon to be named the PCSC Coastal Division Pitcher of the Year after she went 7-3 in conference play with a Division-best 1.68 ERA in 13 appearances.
Strinz brought a multitude of experience to the SMC program after having spent four seasons (2008-11) as the head coach at the University of North Dakota. In her time with UND, Strinz led the Fighting Sioux to their first conference championship in program history in 2010 and helped the program put up all-time offensive numbers in runs scored, hits, home runs, stolen bases and walks.
Prior to her time at North Dakota, Strinz served as the head coach at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD for two seasons. After inheriting a program that had averaged five wins over the previous five seasons, Strinz engineered a two-year turnaround that saw the Tigers win a school-record 17 games in 2007.
Her first stint in the coaching world was in 2005 when she spent the season as an assistant at Louisiana Tech. Strinz served as the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator and helped the Bulldogs set school records for home runs and doubles.
Strinz also experienced success at the championship level as a softball athlete herself with Loyola Marymount. As a Lion, Strinz was a member of the first-ever PCSC Championship team and was named the conference's first PCSC Player of the Year as a junior in 2003. Strinz was a four-year letter-winner and three-year all-conference performer as a pitcher and designated player.
Strinz, a native of Keizer, OR, earned her bachelor's degree in liberal studies with a minor in sociology from LMU in 2004.
Head Coach, ART U
2012 - present
|
Year |
Overall |
PacWest (Place) |
|
2013 |
17-32 |
13-19 (8th) |
|
Totals |
17-32 |
13-19 |
