Anderson To Take Reins of Jennies' Softball Program
Jun 21, 2006, 17:52
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| Susan (Punzo) Anderson |
"We are very happy to have Susan coming back to CMSU." said Athletic Director Jerry Hughes in a prepared statement released by the university Wednesday afternoon. "She was a great student-athlete here and she has proven herself in the coaching ranks as well. We look forward to her taking this program to a new level."
Anderson comes to the Jennies after four seasons as head coach at MIAA rival Northwest Missouri State. She posted a record of 124-96, including a 40-15 mark this season and shared the MIAA Coach of the Year Award with Sumrell.
"I am excited to come back to my alma mater and follow in Coach's footsteps." said Anderson. "CMSU has always had a strong tradition and I look forward to making it even stronger."
Under Anderson's leadership, the Bearcats recorded three straight 30-win seasons and established the school record for single season wins in each of the past two years. This season, Northwest made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1984.
As a player, Anderson helped lead Central Missouri State to three MIAA Championships (1994, 1995 and 1997) and a fourth place finish at the 1994 NCAA Division II Tournament. She was a two-time All-America performer for the Jennies and also earned All-Region and All-MIAA honors three times.
Anderson was an Academic All-America honoree in 1997.
Following one season as a graduate assistant coach with the Jennies, Anderson became the first full-time softball coach at St. Mary College (Kan.). She guided St. Mary to a record of 6-21 in her first season, but improved to 15-19 in 2000.
The following season, Anderson moved to Dakota State (S.D.), but the team she put together went on to win a conference championship at St. Mary.
At Dakota State, Anderson inherited a team that was 5-20 in 2000. She turned the program around, leading DSU to a school-record 25 victories and the school's first-ever regional tournament berth in 2002.
Anderson will take over a CMSU squad that won its last MIAA regular season title in 2002 and has not made an NCAA Tournament appearance since her senior season, 1997. The Jennies were 32-25 this season and finished fifth in the MIAA with a 7-9 mark.
Sumrell retired at the end of the season after 31 years as a college head coach. She posted a career record of 822-527 (.609), including a mark of 614-359 (.631) in 19 seasons at Central Missouri.
Anderson is married to Chauncey Anderson. They are parents of a daughter, Teagan, who was born in October.
