July 29, 2008

Kerr-Unruh returns to Cowley softball program

Having achieved tremendous success as a softball player and coach at Cowley College, Suzanne Kerr-Unruh is returning to the school after a two-year hiatus.

Kerr-Unruh, who is one of only two Cowley softball players to be named a two-time All-American, helped lead the Lady Tigers to a pair of fourth place finishes at the national tournament during her three seasons (2004-06) as assistant coach. She also helped coach the school’s only other two-time all-American in Ashly Bright, who broke four of Kerr’s former records at the school.

She helped Cowley capture back-to-back Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division titles and finish with a record of 74-18 during her two seasons as a player. While, the Lady Tigers won three consecutive conference titles and went 144-38 during Kerr’s three years as an assistant.

She will once again serve as head coach Ed Hargrove’s top assistant.

Kerr-Unruh was inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame in February. She is looking forward to returning to Cowley after spending the past two years as the head junior varsity softball coach at Derby High School. She was also a Health Project Coordinator for Communities in Schools for Sedgwick County and worked for Health Strategies as an Aerobics Instructor.

“It will be exciting to be back at Cowley,” Kerr-Unruh said. “I hope to keep the tradition alive and get us back to the national tournament.”

Kerr-Unruh, who played at Cowley during the 1997 and 1998 seasons still holds the school-record for highest career batting average (.485), triples in a season (13), triples in a career (25), and most runs batted in in a career (133).

Following the recent resignation of former assistant coach Brandi Webb, Hargrove knew exactly who he wanted as his assistant coach.

“I wasn’t sure she would take it, but I thought I better speak to her about the position because Suzanne was at the top of my list,” Hargrove said. “She bleeds orange, and we have the same coaching philosophies.”

In 1997 Kerr was named Jayhawk East Freshman of the Year, first-team All-Conference first baseman, first-team All-Region VI first baseman, and was selected as the team’s Offensive Player of the Year.  In 1998, she was named Jayhawk East Most Valuable Player, a first-team All Jayhawk East outfielder, first-team All-Region VI outfielder, and was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Player.

She returns to a Cowley program that has captured five straight Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division titles, and finished last season with a record of 42-10.