Bengal Softball Has the Wright Stuff - IDAHO STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

July 26, 2010

Contact: Frank Mercogliano - 208-282-2621 (O), 208-406-3570 (c)

Pocatello, ID --- Julie Wright, who spent the previous four seasons at Wisconsin including two as the associate head coach and has also served as the head coach at the University of Akron, has been named as the seventh head coach in the history of the Idaho State softball program, announced Director of Athletics Jeff Tingey.

"I am very excited to have Coach Wright join the Bengal staff," said Tingey. "Julie brings a lot of knowledge and experience to our program and I am confident that she will take our softball program to the next level."

"Our pool of applicants for the position was tremendous, and if you drew up a perfect candidate, that person would have Division I head coaching experience, experience at the top level of softball, and at least 10 years of Division I coaching, and Julie more than fits that bill," added Tingey.

Wright spent the last four years at Wisconsin, where she handled recruiting, scheduling, and served as the teams' academic liaison. She also was in charge of the teams' slappers and defense. Under her watch Wisconsin's defense improved dramatically, raising their fielding percentage in two seasons from .955 to .968. She also showed dramatic improvement with her offensive charges, helping Jen Kruger go from a .156 batting average to .323, with Kruger setting the Wisconsin single-season stolen base record to boot.

Wright spent two seasons with the Akron Zips as head coach, leading the team to a 53-52 record overall in her two seasons, including a 27-27 mark in her first year in 2005, leading the Zips to their first appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament in four years. The team followed that up with a 126-25 record overall and a 13-9 MAC mark in 2006, against making it to the conference tournament.

"Idaho State is a fantastic institution where student-athletes can get a great education, be a part of a close knit athletics department, and live in the wonderful city of Pocatello ... I cannot wait to get started and anticipate an exciting year to come."

---Head Coach Julie Wright

While at Akron, Wright had eight players earn All-Conference honors, and she was involved in the fundraising and design for Akron's softball stadium and locker room.

She also has spent time as an assistant at the University of Kansas (2000-04) and Ohio (1997-99). All told, in her last 10 years as an assistant coach, associate head coach, or a head coach, Wright has finished .500 or better seven times, including four 30-win campaigns.

"I am thrilled to be joining the ISU family. I want to thank Jeff Tingey and Frank Mercogliano for taking me through a great process," said Wright. "Idaho State is a fantastic institution where student-athletes can get a great education, be a part of a close knit athletics department, and live in the wonderful city of Pocatello. I am extremely impressed with Jeff and his staff and know that the Athletics Department is moving in a winning direction while doing things the right way. I cannot wait to get started and anticipate an exciting year to come."

Wright will start immediately, and she inherits a program that went 14-39 under two coaches last season, going 4-13 under Andrea Wilson and 10-26 under Shelly Prochaska. The Bengals went 6-14 in their first year in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, and return eight letter winners from that club, including the all-time strikeout leader in school history in fifth-year senior pitcher Kandis Clesson.

Idaho State Softball Coaching History

Overall Conf. Coach Years W L Pct. W L Pct. Ellen Margolis 1976-80 67 57 .540 25 11 .694 Jo-Ann Gavravaglia 1981 9 16 .360 5 9 .357 Mary Ann Kluge 1982-83 39 23 .629 6 8 .429 Larry Stocking 2007-08 17 59 .224 -- -- --- Andrea Wilson 2009-10 24 34 .414 -- -- --- Shelly Prochaska 2010 10 26 .278 6 14 .300 Totals 167 215 .437 42 42 .500