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July 25, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Eileen Schmidt, Virginia head softball coach, announced Wednesday that Brooke Monroe has been hired as an assistant coach for the Cavaliers. She will begin her duties immediately.
At Virginia, Monroe will serve as hitting coach and work with the team’s infield. She also will oversee all recruiting efforts.
“I am so happy to be joining Coach Schmidt at UVa,” Monroe said. “I’m excited to continue to learn from her and help her lead this Virginia softball program to success.”
Monroe was an assistant under Schmidt this past spring at the University of Kentucky. She helped coach shortstop Brooke Marnitz to a .399 batting average in 2007. Marnitz went on to garner first team All-South Region accolades.
“Brooke is one of the best young hitting instructors out there,” Schmidt said. “Her direction on offense has allowed her teams to put up some great numbers. Her knowledge and enthusiasm is contagious. We are excited to have her join the Virginia staff.”
Before arriving at Kentucky, Monroe spent the 2006 season as an assistant with Portland State, serving as recruiting coordinator and hitting coach. She also worked with catchers and infielders and helped the team to a 38-20 record. Portland State won a share of the school’s first Pacific Coast Softball Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Monroe spent three seasons (2003-05) as assistant coach at Purdue prior to her one-year stint at Portland State. During that span, the Boilermakers posted a 100-76-1 record and in 2005 made their first Big Ten Tournament appearance in five years.
The Morton, Ill., native played her college ball at Indiana where she was a three-time All-Big Ten performer as a catcher and utility player. She earned first team honors behind the plate as a junior. Monroe started 201 career games and currently stands fourth in doubles (40), fifth in RBI (94), sixth in home runs (24) and eighth in at bats (607) in the Indiana record book. She led the team in at bats, doubles, runs, home runs and RBI in three of her four seasons as a Hoosier.
Monroe graduated from IU in 2002 with a degree in sports management. She earned a master’s degree in sports administration at Purdue in 2004.