MCC News
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 - [Softball] - Viewed 672 times - Post By Brian Thiessen
St. Ambrose University Director of Athletics Ray Shovlain announced
today Ron Ferrill has been named the head softball coach.
Ferrill has spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Robert Morris University-Springfield, where he led the Lady Eagles to a United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) championship in 2010.
In his two years at Robert Morris, Ferrill compiled a 61-25 record. His 2009 club finished 23-13 and took second in the USCAA National Championship Tournament before his 2010 squad went 38-12 en route to the national title. The Lady Eagles were the top-ranked team in the USCAA throughout the 2010 season and won their final 15 games to close the campaign. At Robert Morris, Ferrill coached five all-Americans and seven academic all-Americans while his teams maintained better than 3.0 GPAs.
"Coach Ferrill is a great fit for St. Ambrose University, the athletic department and the softball program," said Shovlain. "He's had success at all levels, including winning a National Championship at Robert Morris. Ron is an aggressive recruiter who will bring in quality young women who are talented players. We are excited to add him to our staff."
A native of Dallas City, Ill., and a graduate of Western Illinois University, Ferrill served in the United States Army before returning to Illinois to pursue a coaching and teaching career. He got his coaching start at Dallas City High School. He also spent time coaching the West Central Tornadoes 16-and-under ASA program and assisting the Nauvoo Colusa High School team.
Prior to arriving at Robert Morris, Ferrill spent six years coaching baseball, volleyball and assisting with girls basketball in the Warsaw/West Hancock School Districts. Ferrill was an assistant girls basketball coach at Warsaw Senior High School during the team's run to the Illinois Class 2A State Championship in 2008.
"I am very excited to be taking over the St. Ambrose softball coaching position," said Ferrill. "St. Ambrose is an outstanding school with great sports tradition and I welcome the task of elevating the softball program to the top of the conference and hopefully onto the national stage.
"I feel St. Ambrose provides a great number of opportunities and career challenges for me that are just too good to pass up," Ferrill continued. "I am very grateful to Coach Shovlain for showing the confidence in me and my abilities to bring me on board as the new softball coach at St. Ambrose."
Ferrill replaces Bridget Murphy, who won 118 games as the head coach of the Queen Bees from 2005-10. Murphy was a two-time first team all-conference pitcher/first baseman at St. Ambrose and captained the 2000 SAU team that advanced to the NAIA National Tournament.
SAU finished 18-20 overall and 12-10 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference this spring.
Ferrill has spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Robert Morris University-Springfield, where he led the Lady Eagles to a United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) championship in 2010.
In his two years at Robert Morris, Ferrill compiled a 61-25 record. His 2009 club finished 23-13 and took second in the USCAA National Championship Tournament before his 2010 squad went 38-12 en route to the national title. The Lady Eagles were the top-ranked team in the USCAA throughout the 2010 season and won their final 15 games to close the campaign. At Robert Morris, Ferrill coached five all-Americans and seven academic all-Americans while his teams maintained better than 3.0 GPAs.
"Coach Ferrill is a great fit for St. Ambrose University, the athletic department and the softball program," said Shovlain. "He's had success at all levels, including winning a National Championship at Robert Morris. Ron is an aggressive recruiter who will bring in quality young women who are talented players. We are excited to add him to our staff."
A native of Dallas City, Ill., and a graduate of Western Illinois University, Ferrill served in the United States Army before returning to Illinois to pursue a coaching and teaching career. He got his coaching start at Dallas City High School. He also spent time coaching the West Central Tornadoes 16-and-under ASA program and assisting the Nauvoo Colusa High School team.
Prior to arriving at Robert Morris, Ferrill spent six years coaching baseball, volleyball and assisting with girls basketball in the Warsaw/West Hancock School Districts. Ferrill was an assistant girls basketball coach at Warsaw Senior High School during the team's run to the Illinois Class 2A State Championship in 2008.
"I am very excited to be taking over the St. Ambrose softball coaching position," said Ferrill. "St. Ambrose is an outstanding school with great sports tradition and I welcome the task of elevating the softball program to the top of the conference and hopefully onto the national stage.
"I feel St. Ambrose provides a great number of opportunities and career challenges for me that are just too good to pass up," Ferrill continued. "I am very grateful to Coach Shovlain for showing the confidence in me and my abilities to bring me on board as the new softball coach at St. Ambrose."
Ferrill replaces Bridget Murphy, who won 118 games as the head coach of the Queen Bees from 2005-10. Murphy was a two-time first team all-conference pitcher/first baseman at St. Ambrose and captained the 2000 SAU team that advanced to the NAIA National Tournament.
SAU finished 18-20 overall and 12-10 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference this spring.
