July 21, 2005
On the heels of a Big 12 Championship and an NCAA Super Regional appearance, Texas A&M softball coach Jo Evans and her staff were named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
"This a great honor for our staff," Evans stated. "We feel like we have compiled a very talented team and to see them come together and reach their potential both individually and as a group is very rewarding. Personally, I feel like we have the best staff in the nation. We certainly would not have had as much success this season if not for Joy (Jackson), Rich (Wieligman) and Ali (Sagas)."
Evans, along with Assoc. Head Coach Joy Jackson, Asst. Coach Rich Wieligman and Volunteer Coach Ali Sagas, led the Aggies to the top of one of the toughest conferences in the nation with a 47-10 overall record and a national-best .336 team batting average. The Aggies also led the nation with 2.65 stolen bases per game were third with an .825 winning percentage, fourth with 6.11 runs per game and 5th with a .509 slugging percentage.
Evans, in her ninth season at A&M, earned her second consecutive Big 12 Coach of the Year honor after posting a 14-4 conference record while picking up her 600th overall and 300th Aggie win in the process.
Jackson is the outfielders coach as well as the recruiting coordinator while Wieligman and Sagas work with the hitters and pitchers, respectively.