Oregon softball coach Kathy Arendsen will not return next season, the coach was informed Monday by Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny, a victim of the worst season in the program’s past 25 years.
Arendsen’s contract will not be renewed when it expires on June 30, which will end her seven-year tenure in Eugene, where she is the program’s winningest coach of all-time with a record of 234-176.
This season the Ducks were 16-34 and 3-18 in the Pacific-10 Conference, eighth (and last) in the conference, the third time her team had finished that low since the Ducks were 37-19 and 10-11 in 2003, her first year as coach and the program’s best finish in league.
“It was shocking,” said Arendsen, who said the last time she spoke with Kilkenny before Monday was before the season began in February. “It’s a tough time. The next coach is going to be very fortunate.”
The Ducks went to five NCAA Tournaments during her seven seasons.
Arendsen, who is having players over tonight at her house for a barbecue, said she has received numerous calls today from current and former players.
Arendsen will have both her knees replaced tomorrow in a surgery that will keep her out 4-6 weeks, a time she says will be used to look for her next opportunity.
“I’m not going to be much of anything but it will give me a wonderful chance to consider options,” she said Wednesday.
“After reviewing all aspects of the program, I felt it would be in the best interests of our returning student-athletes to make a change at this time,” Kilkenny said in a media release. “My decision wasn’t based on any one single facet within the program, it was more of an accumulation of multiple aspects that led to this decision.”
Junior outfielder Neena Bryant, freshman pitcher Samantha Skillingstad and senior outfielder Sari-Jane Jenkins were all honored on all Pacific-10 Conference teams just a week ago, part of the 12 players during her time in Eugene her players were honored by the Pac-10. Four more players were named All-Americans and six All-Region, including Bryant, named so last week.
The university said it will begin its national search for a replacement immediately.