Spartans add Vanessa Oakes to coaching staff

GREENSBORO, NC - UNC Greensboro softball coach Jennifer Herzig announced the addition of former UNCG standout Vanessa Oakes to the Spartan coaching staff.

Oakes will return to the Spartan dug out after a stellar four year career that concluded in 2007.  She currently stands atop the UNCG all-time career strikeout list with her total of 565 in four years.  Oakes was a Southern Conference All-Tournament performer in 2007 and was named the SoCon pitcher of the week several times over the course of her career.  As a freshman, Oakes was named MVP of the Wilmington Classic Tournament and followed that up by being named team captain in just her sophomore season.

As a senior, Oakes led the Spartans in just about every pitching category, ranking first in ERA (3.03), opposing batting average (.230), won-loss percentage (.519), wins (14), innings pitched (187.1), strike outs (166) and games started (28).  Oakes led or shared the lead in wins and strike-outs each season she was in the circle for the Spartans.

For her career, Oakes is ranked among the top UNCG pitchers in history.  She not only finished her tenure with the most career strikeouts, but also with the second most career appearances (145) and innings pitched (735.2).  She is also ranked sixth with a total of 39 wins to her credit and seventh on the career list after starting 72 games for the Spartans.

For the last four years, Oakes has worked as a pitching, hitting, fielding and catching instructor throughout the greater Greensboro and Triad areas.  She has served as the primary pitching instructor to the Triad Power U10-U18 teams and acted as the pitching consultant to the Northeast High School (Greensboro) junior varsity team.  Oakes has also provided her pitching knowledge to over two dozen middle and high school athletes, serving as their personal pitching instructor.  Along with physically coaching athletes, Oakes has also designed and implemented comprehensive and individualized physical and mental preparation programs for middle and high school pitchers and position players.

The Spartans will begin the 2009 spring season at the USF Tournament in Tampa, FL, February 6-8.

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