CONWAY, Ark. _ The UCA softball program has added a key addition to their coaching staff as head coach David Kuhn today announced the hiring of Jenny Parsons who has previously been a head coach at Nicholls for the previous eight seasons.

“Coach Parsons brings 17 years of Division I coaching experience to our program,” said Kuhn. “I look forward to her helping our program with her vast knowledge of all facets of the game.”

Parsons has served on the Nicholls staff for 10 seasons, with the last eight being as a head coach. During her time there, Parsons guided the Colonels to the postseason four times in the last six seasons and advanced to the Southland Conference Championship in 2008.  In 2010, Parsons helped produce the Southland Conference Player of the Year, four All-SLC selections, one All-Region selection, two All-Louisianans and one All-American.

Prior to her time at Nicholls, Parsons was an assistant coach at East Carolina University for seven seasons. With her pitching expertise, she helped a 2000 ECU pitching staff set school records for strikeouts (421) and wins (60).

Parsons continued her top-notch guidance of pitchers in her time at Nicholls. The 2008 seasons saw the Colonel pitching staff lead the Southland with a .235 opponent batting average. In 2009, the Nicholls staff ranked second in ERA at 1.96 and held opponents to a cool .201 average.

A former standout pitcher at ECU who holds nearly every individual Pirate pitching record including games pitched (157), wins (102) strikeouts (402) and shutouts (34), Parsons will look to improve a UCA team that finished 2011 with an over all record of 26-30 and went 12-18 in Southland play.

The advantage of having two coaches on staff with this level of experience is something that has not gone unnoticed by Kuhn.

“I am truly honored to be able to have another head coach join us on the field, in the office and with the day-to-day operations,” said Kuhn. “She will be a great asset to our softball program on and off the field.