Candi Letts Named USU Softball Head Coach

LOGAN, Utah -- Candi Letts was named the new head coach of the Utah State University softball program, announced by athletic director Randy Spetman Wednesday (June 14).

"Candi Letts has had success as both a player and a coach. She has a tremendous reputation for being able to turn programs around as she did at Colorado State and Mississippi. We are eager for her to take over our softball program. She is an energetic individual, who we believe can get this program headed in the right direction." Spetman said.

 

Letts replaces Lonny Sargent, who resigned after two seasons, in which he recorded a 31-67 overall ledger, including 8-38 this past season.

 

"When I was a player at Creighton, Utah State was a successful program, winning the national championship in 1980 and 1981. I hope to try to bring some stability to the program and success that the program has had in the past," Letts said. "It will be a fun challenge to get the program to where it was."

 

Bringing 12 years of experience as a Division I head coach, Letts comes to USU from Northern Illinois University, where she was an assistant for the Huskies for one season. She helped lead NIU to a 23-28 mark this past season, finishing fourth in the Mid-American Conference's West Division, and placing fifth in the MAC Tournament. At NIU, Letts instructed the Huskies' pitchers, who earned the MAC Pitcher of the Week honor three times throughout the season.

 

"We're excited for her to lead the Utah State program," said senior associate athletics director Ken Peterson, who conducted the national search. "For us to attract the quality of a coach in Candi, with her experience and success that she has at the Division I level, speaks highly of her and the caliber of a coach that she is."

 

Letts is expected to begin her duties July 1.

 

Prior to NIU, Letts was the head coach at the University of Mississippi, where she spent seven seasons guiding the Ole Miss program from 1999-2005, compiling a 153-246 (.372) record, including leading the Rebels to a school-record 30 wins in 2005.

 

Before Ole Miss, Letts was head coach at Colorado State University from 1994-98, amassing a 160-106-1 (.602) record in her five seasons there, as she re-established the softball program after it had been eliminated for one season. In 1997, Letts led the Rams to a 51-14 mark, winning the Western Athletic Conference championship and finishing ninth in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) final poll. That season Letts was named the WAC Coach of the Year, as well as the NCAA West Regional Coach of the Year.

 

Letts has a career head coaching mark of 313-352-1 (.471) in 12 seasons, reaching the 200 and 300 win milestones while at Ole Miss. As a head coach, Letts has coached four All-Americans, seven all-region players, 12 all-conference winners, one conference player of the year, and one freshman of the year.

 

As a pitcher at Creighton University from 1979-1983, Letts helped the Bluejays to three-straight trips to the College World Series. In her career in the circle, Letts compiled 43 wins to go with 16 saves, while logging an ERA of 0.76 and firing 276 strikeouts. In the 1982 season, Letts led the country with nine saves, a mark that still ranks as the fifth-most single-season saves in NCAA history.

 

After graduating from Creighton in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in physical education, Letts began her coaching career at the high school ranks, including head coach at Burlington, Iowa, for five seasons. Letts moved up to the college level in 1988, returning to Creighton, where she served as an assistant for six years, helping the Bluejays to two NCAA Regional trips, as well as making three appearances in the Top 25 poll and coaching one All-American. In 1991, Letts and Creighton played Utah in the longest game in NCAA history, a 31-inning contest.

 

Letts, a native of Manchester, Iowa, is a member of the Iowa Softball Pitchers Hall of Fame, being inducted in 1980, as well as the Iowa Softball Hall of Fame in 1996. Additionally, Letts was named the Colorado SportsWomen Coach of the Year in 1997.

 

The Aggies finished their inaugural season in the WAC with an 8-38 overall record and a 3-14 WAC ledger, finishing seventh in the league and missing the conference tournament.