Kristina McSweeney has been selected as the head softball coach at Arkansas Tech University.
Her appointment as the third head softball coach in Golden Suns history was announced by Steve Mullins, director of athletics at Arkansas Tech, on Friday, June 22.
McSweeney was previously the head softball coach at Seminole State College (Okla.), where she led the Trojans to a 174-66 overall record and a pair of National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Tournament berths from 2009-2012.
“We are very excited that Kristina has decided to join our athletic family at Arkansas Tech,” said Mullins in a news release from the Tech Department of Athletics. “She has had tremendous success building a winning program at Seminole State and we know she can achieve the same success here.”
Mullins said that McSweeney was one of three finalists for the position that were brought on campus for interviews with the five-member search committee and Arkansas Tech President Dr. Robert C. Brown. A total of 80 individuals applied for the position.
McSweeney holds master’s degrees from East Central University (Okla.) and Barry University (Fla.). She obtained Bachelor of Science degree from Barry and an Associate of Arts degree from Seminole State.
Her collegiate playing career included two years at Seminole State, where she was named All-America as a catcher in 2001; and two years at Barry, where she helped the Buccaneers reach the 2002 NCAA Division II College World Series.
McSweeney was named a National Fast Pitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar Athlete in 2002 and 2003.
A product of Miami, Fla., McSweeney began her coaching career in her hometown as head softball coach at Miami Southridge High School (2003-06).
She served as assistant coach at Seminole State for two years (2007-08) before her promotion to head coach.
The Trojans were 44-13 overall and finished as runners-up in the NJCAA Region II Tournament during the 2012 softball season.
McSweeney and her husband, Jim, have two children: Isabella (3) and Dario (1).
Arkansas Tech played its first season of intercollegiate softball in 2003. The Golden Suns have an all-time record of 252-230. Tech was Gulf South Conference West Division softball champion in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
The Golden Suns were 16-31 overall during the 2012 season, which was their inaugural campaign as a member of the NCAA Division II Great American Conference.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech softball.
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