Former Maryland assistant Courtney Scott returns to lead the Terps into the Big Ten.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland director of athletics Kevin Anderson has announced the hiring of Courtney Scott as head coach of the Maryland softball program. Scott, who was an assistant for Maryland in 2009 and 2010, has been part of coaching staffs that have made seven NCAA Tournament appearances in the last eight seasons.
“We would like to welcome Courtney back to the University of Maryland,” Anderson said. “Courtney is a tremendous coach who has had success at every level of collegiate softball. She played a major role in Maryland’s success during her time as an assistant coach and we are thrilled to have her guide the softball team into the Big Ten Conference.”
Scott spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach at Louisville, helping to lead the Cardinals to the inaugural 2014 American Athletic Conference tournament crown. The Cardinals recorded a 176-60 (.746) cumulative record in Scott’s four seasons as an assistant, in addition to boasting four NFCA All-Americans, 29 all-conference honorees and four NCAA tournament appearances.
“I would first like to thank Kevin Anderson, Kelly Mehrtens and Marcus Wilson for the opportunity to return to Maryland and lead the softball program,” Scott said. “I am incredibly excited about the vision and direction of the athletic department as it transitions into the Big Ten Conference. The University of Maryland has tremendous resources academically, athletically and geographically and I look forward to leading the softball program into a new era. I also want to thank the student-athletes, coaches and fans at the University of Louisville for their terrific support.”
Cardinal pitcher/utility player Maryssa Becker had a career season in 2014 under Scott’s tutelage, earning NFCA Division I All-Central Region second team honors in addition to being named one of the top 25 for NFCA Freshman of the Year.
Scott played a pivotal role in the Cardinals’ 47-13 season in 2013, as Louisville climbed to No. 7 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. The Louisville pitching staff was dominant, posting a 2.38 ERA and leading the Big East with 47 victories.
The 2012 campaign was even better for Louisville, which totaled a program-best 55-5 record while capturing Big East regular season and tournament titles. The Cardinals’ pitching staff ranked fourth in the nation with a 1.39 ERA, while Chelsea Leonard led the nation in saves. Pitcher Tori Collins and Taner Fowler earned NFCA All-America and Caralisa Connell was an All-Big East honoree.
Scott knows the College Park area well, having coached the Terrapins as an assistant during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The Terps advanced to their first NCAA tournament in more than 10 seasons in 2010, as Maryland’s pitching staff led the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 1.71 ERA (ninth in the nation). Her pitching staff also combined for 12 shutouts and 471 strikeouts.
Prior to her time at Maryland, Scott spent two years as graduate assistant at the University of Oklahoma. She was part of the staff that guided the Sooners to a 47-14 record en route to a Super Regional appearance in 2008.
The Clovis, Calif., native was an NFCA All-American catcher at California-Berkeley where she was a captain and four-year starter. During her time there, Scott helped lead the Golden Bears to four Women's College World Series appearances including the 2002 national title and a runner-up showing in 2003.
She went on to play for the National Professional Fastpitch league's NYNJ Juggernaut in 2004 and helped her team to the NPF Championship. Scott then traveled overseas for a three-year stint in the Japan League where she was a member of LeoPalace21. The Tokyo-based team finished third in 2005 and 2006 and was runner-up in 2004.
Scott graduated from California in 2003 with a bachelor of Arts in American Business and Globalism and American Studies. She earned her masters of Arts and Human Relations degree from Oklahoma in 2008.
