ABILENE, Texas — Rita Jordan, who was hired in 2003 to build the Hardin-Simmons softball program from the ground up, has resigned after seven successful seasons as the HSU head coach.
“I was brought to Hardin-Simmons to build a program that the university can be proud of and I can say that we have done that.” said Jordan.
“We won two conference titles in probably the best softball conference in all of Division III, we were a successful program that won a lot of games and we tried to play the game the right way. I am proud of our accomplishments as a program and it is time to spend some time with my family. I have had a good coaching career and Hardin-Simmons has been a blessing to my life.”
Jordan posted a career record of 172-107-1 and she led the Cowgirls to the American Southwest Conference Tournament in five of her seven years. Three times her teams played in the ASC Championship game and she won two ASC titles. She also took her teams to the NCAA Tournament on two different occasions.
“As she has done in the past with several schools, Coach Jordan did an excellent job of starting our softball program and providing it with a strong foundation,” said HSU Director of Athletics John Neese.
The ASC is known as one of the top softball conferences in all of Division III. This year, four teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament and East Texas Baptist, who finished third in the ASC East, won the NCAA Championship.
“She handled the many challenges of a new program with grace and dignity,” said Neese. “Our softball program is very competitive in perhaps the toughest Division III conference in the country and we owe that to all of the hard work that Coach Jordan has done over the years.”
Jordan built the Cowgirl program from the ground up and in just the second season of the program the team played in the ASC final. In seasons three and four the team won ASC titles and played in the NCAA Tournament.
Once the program was built, maintaining the foundation is necessary and Jordan and the team found that out in the program’s fifth year. She had a team that had to replace seven starters and most of those starters were replaced with new faces to the program.
The 2008 team finished just 16-18, but without a senior, it laid a foundation for the 2009 team. In 2009 HSU finished 31-12 and won the ASC West for the third time. It was the third 30-win season. The 2010 team went 24-13 and advanced to the ASC Tournament.
Jordan proved to be an excellent evaluator of talent and recruiter as she brought in three players that were named All-American a total of six times. Sadye Hill was a three-time All-American and she joined Nicole Cortez as first-team All-Americans in the program. Arin Spence was a two-time All-American. Jordan coached 27 first-team All-ASC selections and 11 different players earned NFCA all-region honors. Four different players have been named the ASC West player of the year.
Jordan built the program entirely from scratch and now HSU features a top-of-the-line playing field at Ellis Field along with a state-of-the-art fieldhouse that includes a training room, locker rooms, coach’s offices, a meeting room and indoor hitting and pitching tunnels.
“I want to thank all of the people that helped make this program a success. I won’t name them all, but all of my coaches, players, athletic trainers, administrators and the people on campus who have had a hand in the success of our program, thank you. Hardin-Simmons is a great place and I truly believe that the softball program is in great shape for the future. I will be the Cowgirls No. 1 fan, but it is time to spend some time with the grandkids and my family.”
A search for her replacement will begin immediately.
-Courtesy Hardin-Simmons University Sports Information Department