Aug. 31, 2006

ORONO, Maine - University of Maine softball head coach Stacey Sullivan announced on Thursday that Meghann Reiss has been hired as the assistant softball coach for the program. Reiss comes to the Black Bears after spending last season coaching at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College in Claremont, Calif.

"We are very excited to welcome Meghann to the Maine softball team," Sullivan said. "Maine has a strong tradition in softball and a very bright future, and I'm glad that Meghann will help in building that future."

Reiss worked with the pitching and catching staffs at Claremont, as the team finished 24-12 overall and 17-7 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The 17 league victories were the most for the school since 1997. Reiss worked with pitcher Kristen Linscott, who led the SCIAC with a 1.90 earned run average, 168 strikeouts, 162 innings pitched and 17 wins. Reiss also developed a strength and conditioning program for the team, while also monitoring academic performance from the players.

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in history, legal studies and sociology. She served as a team captain numerous times at Wisconsin and was named to the All-Big Ten team in 2001. She played several positions for the Badgers, including catcher, first base and third base. Wisconsin advanced to the NCAA regionals in 2001, 2002 and 2005. The 2005 campaign also saw Reiss named a NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, while also being a member of the Academic All-Big Ten team. She ranks among the all-time leaders in Wisconsin history in putouts and fielding percentage. Reiss was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche of the National Pro Fastpitch League in 2004.