BOURBONNAIS, IL. – Olivet Nazarene University Acting Director of Athletics Justin Glenn announced Thursday the hiring of Lauren Herlihy as the head softball coach, effective immediately.
Herlihy comes to ONU after a three-year stint as an assistant coach at North Central, an NCAA Division III program in Naperville, Ill., spending her first two seasons as a graduate assistant before transitioning to a full-time assistant in 2023.
“We are thrilled to have Lauren join our staff and lead our softball program to new heights,” said Glenn. “Her knowledge of the sport is impressive, but more importantly, we are excited to see the positive impact she will make on the lives of the young women who play softball at ONU.”
Herlihy inherits an ONU team coming off a 30-win season where they went 15-5 in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) play. Last year’s squad strung together a nine-game winning streak and made a run to the conference tournament championship game.
“I am honored and blessed to have received an opportunity to lead the Olivet Nazarene University softball team,” said Herlihy. “I look forward to glorifying God through building upon the team’s success and history, and paving a way for the women on the team to create their own fulfillment on and off the field.”
In Herlihy’s first two seasons with North Central, the Cardinals posted back-to-back winning seasons, including a 27-13 overall record in 2022. Both seasons culminated in appearances in the CCIW conference tournament championship game, while the 2022 squad qualified for the NCAA Division III Regional tournament.
A 2020 graduate of conference opponent Judson University, Herlihy’s successful four-year playing career resulted in numerous accolades. She twice earned National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) All-America honors and was named the NCCAA Pitcher of the Year in both 2017 and 2018. Herlihy was also a two-time all-region performer and was the recipient of the 2019 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Elgin Hall of Fame Foundation.
Herlihy earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Judson before obtaining a Master’s of Business Administration from the aforementioned North Central College in 2022.
For more information about the athletics program, contact Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu.
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— Republished 10/12/2023 —
