July 26, 2012

Courtesy of Amherst College Sports Information

AMHERST, Mass. – After spending two years as the top assistant coach for the Amherst College softball team, Whitney Mollica Goldstein has been named the program’s interim head coach for the 2013 season.

Sue Everden led Amherst’s softball program to 235 wins from 1999-2012 and was twice named NESCAC Coach of the Year. She will step down to focus on her duties as the College’s head volleyball coach, a role in which she has posted 584 wins in 27 years as one of the most accomplished coaches in Division III.

"I am so delighted that Whitney has agreed to serve in this role," said Suzanne Coffey, Amherst’s Director of Athletics. "Coach Everden has done a terrific job in building a successful softball program, and we look forward to her continued success on the volleyball court."

Mollica Goldstein played a pivotal role in helping Amherst transform from a 14-16 team in 2011 to a 36-6 team in 2012, marking the 10th best single-season improvement in NCAA Division III history. Last year’s Amherst squad got off to a 22-0 start en route to its first playoff berth since 2006, its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1999, and its first NFCA national ranking since 2000.

"I would like to thank Athletics Director Suzanne Coffey and the administration for allowing me this very exciting opportunity,"said Mollica Goldstein. "I am very fortunate to work alongside great people who have made my time at Amherst so welcoming. I have enjoyed being a part of such a special institution where a healthy blend of academics and athletics allows us to compete on a national scale in all aspects."

Amherst saw drastic one-year improvements in virtually every statistical category last year, including batting average (from .264 in 2011 to .324 in 2012), earned run average (2.88 to 1.86) and fielding percentage (.945 to .959). Eleven players from the 2012 team will return next year—including the entire pitching staff—with four members of the Class of 2016 also ready to join the squad.

"I'm excited about the future of Amherst Softball," Mollica Goldstein said. "With a focus on strong pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense, I think our 2013 squad will bring the passion, mentality, and drive for a successful season. Last year helped ignite the fire we needed to continually push for postseason play."

A native of Windham, N.H., Mollica Goldstein was a standout softball player at the University of Massachusetts. In 2006, she became the first player in Atlantic-10 history to be named both Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season. She started at third base in all 217 of her team’s games, posting a .341 lifetime average to go along with 28 home runs and a program-record 156 RBIs.

Mollica Goldstein is the granddaughter of former major league baseball player/manager and current Tampa Bay Rays coach Don Zimmer. In 2009, she graduated from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass with a degree in Sport Management. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Recreation and Sport Sciences with a concentration in Coaching Education through Ohio University.

"I cannot thank Sue enough for the tremendous opportunity she gave when hiring me as an assistant coach," Mollica Goldstein said. "Her passion, competitive drive, and ability to teach others about life and sport have brought my coaching abilities to another level. Her love of the game is infectious and will forever be ingrained throughout the Amherst Softball program."