Date Posted: 8/15/2006

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville University announced the hiring of Alison Higgs as assistant softball coach, first-year head coach Amanda Lehotak on Tuesday. Higgs joins the Dolphins staff after spending 2005 as a pitching coach for the Torrens Valley Redsox of the South Australia Softball Association in Adelaide, Australia.

Higgs, who played for the Redsox's Team A, coached the grade B, C and 19-under pitching staffs in Sept. 2005. She was responsible for daily pitching work-outs and overall pitching instruction, while also calling and charting pitches during competitions. She coordinated the overall instruction and development of all athletes both offensively and defensively. Higgs also directed multiple Club clinics, while organizing private and team pitching lessons several times a week.

"Ali is a great addition to our coaching staff," said Lehotak, who was promoted to head coach on June 30. "Ali's passion and experience for the game will make her a great asset to our team."

"I am very excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Lehotak and be a part of the JU program," Higgs said. "I believe we will form a very knowledgeable and vibrant coaching staff, which will work hard to bring a competitive team to the Atlantic Sun Conference."

While coaching with Torrens Valley, Higgs was also a co-head coach in the physical education department at Saint Peters Collegiate Girls School in Adelaide, Australia. She was responsible for all daily coaching duties as lead instructor for the middle school softball and elementary tee-ball teams. She also helped organized team travel and roster requirements with local competition.