By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural announced Thursday that Elizabeth Stover has been selected as the Junior Blues' head softball coach for the 2022 season.
Stover takes over for Tricia Vogel, who stepped down following the 2021 season. Vogel had been Rural's head coach since the 2018 season and led the Junior Blues to three Class 6A state tournament berths.
Elizabeth Stover
Stover has served an an assistant softball coach at Washburn Rural the past four years and currently teaches in the social science department at Rural and is an assistant powerlifting coach.
“We look forward to the excellent leadership that Coach Stover will provide,'' Washburn Rural athletic director Penny Lane said in a release. "We are confident that she will continue the tradition of excellence of the Rural softball program.”
Stover is a graduate of Baker University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and history and is currently working on a Master's Degree in school leadership.
She was team captain of the 2017 Baker softball team and was named a 2016 All-American by the National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.
Vogel coached the Junior Blues to a third-place 6A finish in 2018 and a runner-up state finish in '19.
The Junior Blues posted a 20-3 record this spring, dropping a 5-2 decision to Olathe North in the opening round of the state tournament.
"It was a very difficult decision to leave Washburn Rural,'' Vogel said. "I will forever be thankful to Penny Lane and Ed Raines (Rural principal) for giving me the opportunity to coach here. I will miss the girls and my coaching staff greatly. While I have so many great memories from the last six years, the last memory I left the Washburn Rural field with was getting engaged, which is the reason for my departure. I will forever be a supporter and fan of Washburn Rural softball.
"Elizabeth Stover has been my assistant for the last four years. She brings a lot of knowledge and passion to the game. I know that she will do well in this role. I look forward to seeing and hearing about how the team does next year. I wish her, the girls, and the rest of the coaching staff nothing but the best and I am happy to be 'passing the bat' to Liz.''
