The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College Executive Director of Athletics Chad Yowell has announced Gina Loudenburg's resignation as the Lyons' head softball coach, effective at the conclusion of the 2008 season. Last spring, Loudenburg, who is entering her 19th year at the institution, became the 15th softball coach in Division III history to earn 500 career wins. Yowell said a search for Loudenburg's replacement will begin on March 1.

"It was really all a blessing to get the job in the first place and that Chad had the trust that I could do something here with both programs," said Loudenburg, who also coached the Wheaton women's volleyball program for 11 years, from 1990-2000. "It's been a great ride - all of it. I haven't regretted for one day being at Wheaton."

In her first 18 years on the softball diamond, Loudenburg had 504 wins and led Wheaton to 10 conference tournament titles and seven NCAA Tournament appearances, advancing three times to the College World Series, where the Lyons finished third in 1997 and 2001. Between softball and volleyball, Loudenburg has racked up 748 wins and 13 league titles, and she also led the 1997 volleyball team to an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance.

"Gina has had a wonderful run here," said Yowell. "She was one of my first hires after I came to Wheaton and one of the best. Very quickly after her arrival, she turned a struggling volleyball program and a good softball program into regional and national powerhouses, respectively. I do not know of any other coach who has taken their volleyball team to the NCAA Sweet 16 and softball program to the College World Series in the same year. It will be very difficult to replace Gina as a coach, and I will miss her friendship very much."

Loudenburg has earned numerous softball accolades, being named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) regional coach of the year four times, New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference

(NEWMAC) Coach of the Year twice, and New England Women's 8 Conference (NEW 8) Coach of the Year on four occasions.

"This is a resignation, not a retirement," said Loudenburg. "I'm going to go home to Colorado and take care of my family. I'll probably go into coaching somewhere. I wouldn't mind being an assistant at a high school."

During Loudenburg's softball tenure, Lyons have drawn 15 All-America honors, nearly 150 regional accolades and 50 all-league laurels. On 10 occasions in her 18 years, Wheaton players were named regional or conference player of the year, and five earned rookie-of-the-year honors. Lyons qualified four times for academic all-district, with one drawing an academic all-America certification.

"The wins are great, but the relationships I've built is what I will remember when it's all said and done," said Loudenburg. "I wanted to make a difference in people's lives, and what they do when they get out of college is what I'm most proud of. When they keep in touch, and I hear everything they're doing, it makes me feel good that I've been able to help somebody achieve their goals in life." Loudenburg said close to 25 of her former players are coaching. "It's a neat thing when they're calling asking for advice, and many are running their own programs."

Wheaton is a selective national liberal arts college with 1,550 students drawn from virtually every state and more than 30 countries.

The college combines a traditional curriculum in the arts and sciences with an innovative emphasis on real-world experience - internships, jobs and volunteer service - to help students make the connection between theory and practice. Its students gain admission to the nation's most prestigious graduate programs and regularly win competitive academic awards such as the Rhodes, Marshall and Fulbright scholarships.

Wheaton (Mass.) Transaction - Gina Loudenburg resigns as head softball coach, effective end of season.

Loudenburg to Step Down as Wheaton Head Softball Coach Following Season