February 3, 2006                                                                       

Pauly Enters First Season at SMC

Softball Coach Readies Team for 2006

SPARTANBURG, S.C. –  The Lady Pioneers Softball Team of Spartanburg Methodist College is entering its 2006 regular season under a new coach and a new assistant.

Rick Pauly joined SMC this past fall and is optimistic about the upcoming season, after some successes in scrimmages against North Greenville University, USC Upstate, Southern Wesleyan University, and Gardner Webb. Their first regular season game will be an away game against Louisburg College on Feb. 11^th. The first home game at Grant Field will be March 4 also against Louisburg College.

Returning sophomores – pitcher Hannah Blair (Greenville, S.C.), catcher Ashley Rutledge (Union, S.C.), outfielder Rashunda McKinney (Greenville, S.C.), firstbaseman Cassie Gee (Easley, S.C.) and infielder/outfielder Kimberly Nicholson join several outstanding freshmen to become what Pauly sees as a “power hitting” team with “just the right blend of short game.”

Pauly’s coaching career covers 15 years. He was an ASA Softball All-American and competed in 12 national and international championship tournaments. Pauly sees the SMC softball program as a great opportunity to continue helping college-bound student-athletes continue the pursuit of both their academic and athletic dreams. Pauly is a joined by Assistant Coach Charles Rutledge, a great wealth of knowledge who comes to the team with experience coaching a Union-based travel team.

The Lady Pioneers’ first regular season game will be on the road against Gardner Webb.