July 18, 2006

Columbia, Mo. - Missouri softball Head Coach Ty Singleton announced today that Lacey Schanz has been named assistant coach for the Tigers effective immediately. Expected to work primarily with the catchers, game defense and in recruiting coordination, Schanz will also oversee Missouri's daily softball office operations.

"We are very fortunate to have someone with Lacey's Division I softball experience as both a player and coach join our staff," Singleton said. "Lacey is a native of Missouri and knows Missouri softball through-and-through. Over the past two summers, Lacey has helped with our elite camps and it has been made obvious that she has a real passion for the game. It will be exciting to see what she brings to our staff, our team and the University of Missouri."

A four year head coach at Truman State, Schanz helped take the Bulldogs to their fifth straight appearance at the NCAA Division II tournament in 2005. Formerly an assistant at the University of Pennsylvania, Schanz served as the pitching coach.

Schanz is a native of Kansas City, Mo., and was Raytown High School's starting catcher for four consecutive years, tallying over 600 innings of work behind the plate. After high school, Schanz attended Georgia Tech where she was a three-year catcher and designated hitter, starting in 75 of 109 games. Sanchz suffered a career-ending injury during preseason of 2001.

A member of the Kansas City Thunder in 1996, Schanz graduated cum laude from Georgia Tech in 2001 with a degree in management and a minor in information technology.

Schanz replaces Autumn Eastes who resigned to attend graduate school in California.