Worcester, MA --- Interim Director of Athletics John Meany has announced that Michelle Cote has been selected as the new Worcester State head softball coach. Cote replaces Jen Kapenas who resigned in August.
Cote, who served as an assistant coach under Kapenas in each of the last four seasons, looks to continue the tradition of success she helped establish.
While with the Lancers, Cote guided the squad to four straight appearances in the MASCAC Tournament. In 2011, the Blue and Gold shared the MASCAC Regular Season title, captured their first-ever MASCAC Tournament Championship and they made their first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance since 1987. WSU also won the league regular season title outright in 2012.
With Cote in the dugout, Worcester State has also posted four consecutive 20-win seasons and made trips to three of ECAC Division III New England Softball Tournaments – including an appearance in the championship game in 2013.
Previous to coming to Chandler Street, Cote was an assistant coach for her alma mater Assumption (2006-09), she served as a volunteer assistant at Nichols (2005-06) and she was the head softball coach for the Central Mass Xplosion (2004-11).
Cote was a Hall of Fame first baseman at Assumption who earned first-team All-Northeast 10 accolades in all four seasons and she was a three-time ECAC Division North and New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association pick. During her senior semester, Cote served as a team captain and she was tabbed the squads most valuable player.
She wrapped up her four seasons as a Greyhound with a career batting average of .457 and a slugging percentage of .690. She is also ranked among the schools leaders in runs (113), hits (205), singles (143), doubles (35), triples (9), home runs (18), stolen bases (52) and runs batted in (128).
During her four years, Cote batted impressive totals of .393, .547, .470 and .475. In her senior year she clubbed nine homers with 47 RBIs. Cote earned the distinction of being honored in Assumption Hall of Fame Class of 2007.
Cote received her BA in Psychology in 1995, graduated as a standout high school player out of Coyle Cassidy in Taunton and served for eight years in the US Army Reserve.