Kara Dill Promoted to Assistant Coach
Sep 28, 2017 | Softball
COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M softball's Kara Dill has been promoted to assistant coach, head coach Jo Evans announced Thursday.
"Kara has done a tremendous job with our pitching staff in the short time she has been at Texas A&M," Evans said. "She has great work ethic and has done a terrific job preparing our pitching staff to compete on the national stage. She was an integral part of our team advancing to the Women's College World Series last year and I look forward to working with her for many years to come."
"I would like to thank Coach Evans for this incredible opportunity," Dill said. "It is exciting to work with motivated players and build on the successes of last season. After witnessing the camaraderie and traditions of Texas A&M, I am honored to represent the Aggies."
Dill is in her fourth year as a coach and has made an appearance at the Women's College World Series in all four years.
During her first season at Texas A&M, she helped the Aggie pitching staff lower its ERA from 3.86 in 2016 to 2.08 in 2017 as Samantha Show and Lexi Smith each earned NFCA All-Region honors. Show and Trinity Harrington saw significant improvement under Dill, as Show's ERA fell from 3.67 to 2.20 and Harrington's dipped from 3.86 to 1.63.
Dill, who also served as an assistant coach with the National Pro Fastpitch League's Scrapyard Dawgs in 2016, spent two years at LSU (2015-16), assisting in all aspects of the program, with a primary focus on slap hitters. In 2016, Bailey Landry was tied for third on the team with 69 hits, while fellow slapper Emily Griggs had 63.
During her first season in Baton Rouge, Dill led the talented group to a prolific season at the plate, led by Landry, who earned second team NFCA All-America honors and paced the Tigers with a .421 batting average and 89 hits.
Prior to her time at LSU, Dill was a member of the coaching staff that led the Kentucky Wildcats to their first trip to the Women's College World Series in 2014.
While at Kentucky (2009-13), the All-SEC shortstop was one of the most feared leadoff hitters in the SEC, kicking off her career with a 15-game hitting streak en route to a freshman season that saw her earn 71 hits, which was the fifth most for any Kentucky player in a single-season. By the time she ended her career, she finished eighth in hits with 201, sixth in stolen bases with 57, fifth in batting average at .330 and seventh in runs scored with 119 to go along with two All-SEC selections.
The LaGrange, Ohio native graduated from Kentucky with her bachelor's degree three semesters early, eventually completing her masters while concluding her stellar career on the diamond. After her senior year, where she led the team in batting average, Dill was named to the SEC Community Service Team for her work with various groups, as well as being a CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District selection.
Dill was named to the Frank G. Ham Society of Character, which annually honors Kentucky athletes who have shown an extraordinary commitment to academic excellence, athletic participation, personal development, career preparation and serving as a role model. She was also a nominee for the Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes student-athletes who utilize their complete athletic eligibility while honoring the four core attributes of the award in community, classroom, character and competition.
To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieSoftball on Twitter.
"Kara has done a tremendous job with our pitching staff in the short time she has been at Texas A&M," Evans said. "She has great work ethic and has done a terrific job preparing our pitching staff to compete on the national stage. She was an integral part of our team advancing to the Women's College World Series last year and I look forward to working with her for many years to come."
"I would like to thank Coach Evans for this incredible opportunity," Dill said. "It is exciting to work with motivated players and build on the successes of last season. After witnessing the camaraderie and traditions of Texas A&M, I am honored to represent the Aggies."
Dill is in her fourth year as a coach and has made an appearance at the Women's College World Series in all four years.
During her first season at Texas A&M, she helped the Aggie pitching staff lower its ERA from 3.86 in 2016 to 2.08 in 2017 as Samantha Show and Lexi Smith each earned NFCA All-Region honors. Show and Trinity Harrington saw significant improvement under Dill, as Show's ERA fell from 3.67 to 2.20 and Harrington's dipped from 3.86 to 1.63.
Dill, who also served as an assistant coach with the National Pro Fastpitch League's Scrapyard Dawgs in 2016, spent two years at LSU (2015-16), assisting in all aspects of the program, with a primary focus on slap hitters. In 2016, Bailey Landry was tied for third on the team with 69 hits, while fellow slapper Emily Griggs had 63.
During her first season in Baton Rouge, Dill led the talented group to a prolific season at the plate, led by Landry, who earned second team NFCA All-America honors and paced the Tigers with a .421 batting average and 89 hits.
Prior to her time at LSU, Dill was a member of the coaching staff that led the Kentucky Wildcats to their first trip to the Women's College World Series in 2014.
While at Kentucky (2009-13), the All-SEC shortstop was one of the most feared leadoff hitters in the SEC, kicking off her career with a 15-game hitting streak en route to a freshman season that saw her earn 71 hits, which was the fifth most for any Kentucky player in a single-season. By the time she ended her career, she finished eighth in hits with 201, sixth in stolen bases with 57, fifth in batting average at .330 and seventh in runs scored with 119 to go along with two All-SEC selections.
The LaGrange, Ohio native graduated from Kentucky with her bachelor's degree three semesters early, eventually completing her masters while concluding her stellar career on the diamond. After her senior year, where she led the team in batting average, Dill was named to the SEC Community Service Team for her work with various groups, as well as being a CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District selection.
Dill was named to the Frank G. Ham Society of Character, which annually honors Kentucky athletes who have shown an extraordinary commitment to academic excellence, athletic participation, personal development, career preparation and serving as a role model. She was also a nominee for the Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes student-athletes who utilize their complete athletic eligibility while honoring the four core attributes of the award in community, classroom, character and competition.
To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieSoftball on Twitter.
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