Jan. 3, 2007

HOUSTON, Texas - Continuing to build momentum towards its first season, the University of Houston-Victoria athletic program announced on Thursday, December 14, that it had signed on Keri Kubala Lambeth as head softball coach. The university has been moving rapidly to develop a baseball and softball team since its acceptance into the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association in late September.

"We are delighted to have Keri join our athletic efforts to lead our women's softball program. Her talent and enthusiasm for softball are evident," said UHV President Tim Hudson. "We believe that Coach Lambeth is going to build a winning team, a team of genuine student-athletes that represents the very best attributes of UHV and its students."

To prepare for UHV's first softball game in spring 2008, Lambeth will spend the next several months scouting and recruiting talent. Her goal is to ensure the first class will be filled with top student-athletes, an aim Lambeth feels will be an exciting challenge.

"The opportunity to build the program from the ground up is what attracted me to the position," she said. "UHV is sure to be a university of choice for many young women and men from our area and around the country who want to play college ball and earn their degree from a great institution."

Like the players UHV will be fielding, Lambeth began her collegiate softball career at a junior college. After earning an associate degree at Texarkana College, she transferred to the University of Houston where she competed as a catcher on the UH softball team and completed a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and sport administration. Lambeth then went on to work as first assistant softball coach at George Washington University.

Ashley Walyuchow, interim athletic director at UHV, expressed confidence in the skills and experience Lambeth brings to the job. He noted, "Her responsibilities at George Washington--organizing games and practices, recruiting student-athletes, working with players as a strength and conditioning coach--all indicate she is exactly the right person to build a winning team at UHV."

Lambeth is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as well as the Texas Girls Coaches Association. A South Texas native, she taught and coached at Edna High School prior to being hired by UHV. Her first day at the university was December 11. Lambeth is joined on the athletic staff by former Houston Astro Terry Puhl, who was hired in November to coach UHV's baseball team. Both teams will begin competing in the 2007-2008 season. A mascot for the university athletic program is expected to be announced in spring 2007.

For more information, contact Ashley Walyuchow at (361) 570-4343.