Texas softball announces former pitcher Pattie Ruth Taylor as third assistant coach
The Texas softball staff welcomed a new member on Monday morning, with head coach Mike White announcing Pattie Ruth Taylor as the Longhorns' third assistant coach.
Taylor spent two seasons as a volunteer coach at UConn before becoming an assistant at Lehigh, where she oversaw the pitching staff. She was a four-year letterwinner from 2015-18 at Middle Tennessee State.
"I am excited to announce the addition of Coach Taylor to our staff," White said in a press release. "Coach Taylor brings experience as both a pitcher and coach to our program. Her personality and competitive drive blends well with our staff and team."
In her first season at Lehigh, Taylor helped the program win its 15th Patriot League tournament championship and first since 2017. The most valuable player of the tournament was Lehigh's Gabriella Nori, who had allowed just one run over her last 20 innings heading into the NCAA Seattle Regional.
In 2023, Lehigh's pitchers posted a 2.73 ERA as the program won 40 games. When Taylor was with UConn in 2021, the Huskies struck out 247 batters while posting a 3.24 ERA and a .241 opponents' batting average.
More: Former UT softball player Janae Jefferson leads Texas Smoke to national softball title
Texas failed to make the College World Series this past season, falling to Tennessee in the Knoxville super regional. The offense scored two runs in the series, but the pitchers also allowed 14 runs with nine coming in the deciding game.
"I would like to thank Coach White for giving me this incredible opportunity to join the Longhorn family," Taylor said. "I am beyond excited to learn and work with him, Coach (Steve) Singleton and Coach (Kristen) Zaleski. The championship culture is evident through this program, and I am eager to bring my experience and values to work with these amazing student-athletes."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas softball announces Pattie Ruth Taylor as new assistant coach
