FULLERTON. Calif. -- In a ceremony held on the softball diamond at Anderson Family Field on the campus of Cal State Fullerton, Dr. Steve Walk, interim Athletics Director, introduced Kelly Ford as the third Head Coach in the Titans 34-year softball history.
Press Conference Notes
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Ford assumes the reigns of a program with a 1336-679-2 overall record which won the national championship in 1986, has made 27 postseason appearances (including two in 1980 and 1981 when teams competed in the AIAW) and boasts 28 All-Americans among its alumnae.
Since 2002 she has guided the Mt. SAC program to four California State Championships (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009), seven South Coast Conference Championships (2003-08, 2001) and has earned South Coach Conference Coach of the Year honors five times. The book closes on Ford's 11-year career with the community college with a staggering 455-102-1 (.816) record.
"I'd like to thank Dr. Eanes, the search committee and Dr. Walk for giving me the job of a life time," Ford said after a standing ovation from the 2013 team, members of the athletics department, media and guests who attended the press conference.
Ford, who worked with Cal State Fullerton as an assistant coach in 2000 and 2001, brings nine years of experience as an assistant coach at the Division I level, adding time spent at Cal State Northridge with a year (1993) at her alma mater, Oklahoma.
"It's a bittersweet moment for me as I just held a meeting with my student-athletes at Mt. SAC that was very difficult, but this is really the dream for me." she said.
The native of Portland, Oregon played two NJCAA National Championship seasons at Central Arizona College for Clint Myers (now at Arizona State University) in 1988 and 1989 before her career with the Sooners under then Head Coach, Jim Beitia. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Oklahoma University in 1992 and earned a master's degree from Azusa Pacific University in Physical Education with an emphasis in Coaching. She has a two and a half year-old daughter, Sarah.
Ford will begin her duties with the program later this month, with the team scheduled to begin fall practice and off season competition then.