By Jack Rodgers Sports Anchor/Reporter
with help from CSU Sports Information
Columbus State University officials announced today that CSU Head Softball coach Tiffany Tootle has resigned from her position as coach, effective immediately. She will continue her duties as a member of the physical education faculty for the remainder of the current term. CSU has offered her a teaching contract for the Fall term as well.with help from CSU Sports Information
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Stumble It!Coach Tootle has indicated that she will use this break from softball to assess her future plans in seeking another coaching position.
"It's been a long time since I've sat through March and April without being around softball," Tootle told News 3 Monday afternoon. "It's been very tough."
"It's been emotional. It's been physically draining. I feel like, at this time, it's time to move on and find some new opportunities out there."
"Columbus State appreciates her leadership of the softball program over the past nine years," said CSU President Dr. Frank Brown. "Her teams have accomplished a great deal during her time with us, including a trip to the the Division II Softball Championship tournament last year."
Tootle came to CSU in 1999, after Judy Favor left the CSU program for Division I Wichita State. Tootle amassed a 318-128 record in her nine-plus seasons at the helm of the program, including five NCAA post-season appearances (2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007).
Her 2007 squad finished third in the nation after chalking up a 58-5 record which included the second straight Peach Belt Conference regular season title, a third consecutive PBC Tournament title, and the school's first-ever South Atlantic Region championship. CSU went 3-2 at the NCAA Division II Softball Championship, placing third behind Lock Haven and national champions SIU-Edwardsville. She and her staff of Brad Huskisson and Jessica Bottoms were named South Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
"Tiffany's been a great coach for us. We've always enjoyed her motivational techniques and coaching," says CSU athletic director Jay Sparks. "She deserves every opportunity to move on and have lots better success at other places - and we hope that's what's going to happen for her."
Huskisson will coach the squad for the remainder of this season, should CSU receive a post-season invite. The process for naming Tootle's permanent replacement at CSU will begin at the end of the current school term.
