The Concordia softball team was searching for a coach that would be able to inject immediate credibility as well as having the passion and drive to build the program into a perennial contender quickly. Athletic Director Ben Limback believes he found that person in Marissa Young, who takes over the program this week.

Young, a former standout player at the University of Michigan, will assume the duties of coach immediately with an eye toward this spring by beginning to look everywhere for players who may still have yet to find a place to play.

"Our focus right now is to begin searching for impact players for not only next fall, but this coming spring if we are able to find them" Young said.

Young is no stranger to success on the softball diamond. After graduating from Mater Dei High School in California, Young headed east to Ann Arbor to be a member of Carol Hutchins' squad at the University of Michigan.

Young, a criminal justice major, excelled for the Maize and Blue as she was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 2002 followed by Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 2003. Young, a three-time All-American, finished her career for the Wolverines as the all-time strikeout leader while also being the all-time home run leader (since broken). Young is also listed in the top five in four other pitching categories in UofM softball lore.

"Like Coach Hutchins, I believe in teaching the fundamentals," Young said. "I want my players to look at the game from all aspects, not just from the view of their position. They must understand the game as a whole, and where their piece fits, rather than having tunnel vision. I want to expand their knowledge."

Upon graduating from UofM, Young spent a year playing professional softball in Italy, followed by a year stint in 2004 playing for the Texas Thunder. All the while, Young never envisioned herself as a future coach.

During 2003, Young began her position as an instructor at the Michigan Sports Academy in Ypsilanti. That is when the roots of her desire to coach began to flourish.

Young, who lives in Ann Arbor with daughters Layla (age three) and Jolyna (age 18 months), has said she still talks to her former coach in Hutchins regularly and believes that relationship will help her build a strong program at Concordia.

"Coach Hutchins is not only my coach, but she is my friend and after leaving California to come to Michigan, became another mom for me," Young said.

Not only will her relationship with Coach Hutchins be an asset, but her role as a parent will equally aid Young in her first career coaching stint, she believes.

"As the mother of two girls, I realize how on a daily basis you effect the lives of young people," Young said. "A good coach realizes that these are people, not just softball players."

Young, who went to the NCAA College World Series two of the four years she was a Wolverine, stresses her priorities are to build stability in the program and provide a smooth transition to her style of coaching. But before long, Young will be looking to guide the Cardinals as far as possible in the NAIA postseason.