Teresa Wilson
The offseason of change continues for the Arizona softball team, as pitching coach Teresa Wilson has resigned to pursue a head-coaching position, the school announced Friday.
(On Thursday, head coach Mike Candrea talked to TucsonCitizen.com about his new slugging transfer from Tennessee, the departure of a backup infielder and his intention to have a smaller roster in 2012.)
Wilson was at Arizona for three years, helping the team navigate to the championship round of the Women’s College World Series behind freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler in 2010.
But offseason changes to Fowler’s pitching motion — designed in part to eliminate the illegal pitch calls that dogged her at the World Series — didn’t stick. Fowler reverted to her previous motion and was pitching well before suffering a late-season concussion that cost her playing time and conditioning at the critical part of the year.
Wilson has been a head coach for 21 years — at Oregon, Minnesota, Washington and Texas Tech.
“I’m more than pleased to have been part of Arizona softball for three seasons, but I’d like to return to having my own program,” Wilson said in a news release.
Said Candrea: “Teresa has been a great asset to our program. Her passion, knowledge of the game and work ethic have been second to none.”
Candrea said he expects to have a replacement by the end of July.