(Story courtesy of Trinity University)

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Trinity University Director of Athletics Bob King has announced the appointment of Selena Collins as the Tigers head softball coach.

“I want to express my gratitude to the Search Committee – and especially the Chair, Julie Jenkins – for an outstanding job in this thorough search,” said Mr. King.  “I am excited to have someone of Selena’s playing and coaching background on the Trinity staff.”

Coach Jenkins, who is an Associate Athletic Director and Trinity’s head volleyball coach, had this to say about the search and the hiring of Collins: “We were pleased with the quality of all our applicants, but Selena stood out as the perfect fit for Trinity.  She is a proven winner, who will attract a lot of players to our program with her outgoing personality, and her success as both a player and a coach.”

Coach Collins has been an assistant at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, since 2008. During her first season, the Bearkats, who are members of the NCAA Division I, increased their team batting average by 22 points, and  had seven players earn All-Southland Conference honors. Sam Houston State advanced to the semifinals of the Southland post season Tournament, after upsetting the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds.

“I am extremely excited to be a part of the Trinity family and coaching the Trinity Tiger softball team,” coach Collins said. “I have a true passion and competitive drive for the game and am eager to share that with the players.  My plan as the new head softball coach is to make a positive impact on the field, and to also teach life lessons that these young women can carry beyond the game and in to their lives.”

A 2003 graduate of Texas A&M University, coach Collins earned a Bachelor of Arts in speech communications. She was a four-year starter for the Aggie softball team from 2000 to 2003. In 2003 she was named the A&M Female Athlete of the Year and received All-America honors in 2002. Coach Collins, a team captain, was also named the 2002 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, as well as earning Big 12 First Team All-Conference honors for four seasons.

In addition, coach Collins was a member of the 2001, 2002 and 2003 USA Olympic Elite Softball Team.

Coach Collins concluded her collegiate career as A&M’s all-time leader in RBI and home runs.  She was a graduate assistant coach with the Aggies, and put her communications skills to work as a radio and television commentator for the team with the Aggie Sports Connections.

In 2004, coach Collins played catcher for the Texas Thunder National Pro Fast-Pitch team. She was a key player for the Chicago Bandits from 2005 to 2006.

While in Chicago, coach Collins was the softball director of the National Baseball and Softball Academy. She also was color analyst for Comcast Sports television broadcasts of the National Pro Fast pitch league and college softball, while also being a part of a show called "The Selena Collins Show" for TheSoftballChannel.com where she wrote, and interviewed about the game of softball. 

A native of Phoenix, coach Collins returned to her hometown, where she coached JV softball and freshman girls basketball at the Sandra Day O'Connor school.

Coach Collins' parents were both athletes in college at Northern Arizona University where her dad played football and her mom played tennis. Coach Collins also has an older sister and a younger brother. 

“I feel that any player that has the love for the game and wants to be a part of the Trinity softball program,” coach Collins continued, “has potential to reach heights that they didn't think possible. I am extremely grateful to Bob King who has given me the opportunity to coach the softball program and to make a difference here at Trinity.”

“In recent years, Trinity athletics has had some great success in hiring young and promising coaches to their first head coaching jobs,” concluded Mr. King. “I believe that Selena will prove to be another of those success stories with the Tiger softball team.”