Shanon Hays Resigns to Accept Head Coaching Position at Texas Tech University
June 8, 2009
Story courtesy of Lubbock Christian Sports Information Office
LUBBOCK, Texas - Over 22 years ago, Larry Hays made a decision to leave Lubbock Christian College to accept the head coaching position with the Texas Tech University baseball program. Monday, his son, Shanon Hays, announced he is resigning as the head coach of the Lubbock Christian University softball program to accept the softball head coaching position at Texas Tech University.
Shanon Hays, the only softball head coach in the program's short two year history, made a historic impact towards the Lubbock Christian University Athletic Department. He built the program from scratch and his efforts resulted in PlainsCapital Park rising as one of the finest softball facilities in the NAIA and a NAIA National Title in the program's inaugural season. No other softball program has won a national title in its first year of existence. In two seasons, the Lady Chaps have compiled a 114-17 record (87.0%). They went 60-10 in their 2008 title run. Hays received Sooner Athletic Conference, Region VI and NAIA Coach of the Year honors in 2008. This past season, the Lady Chaps jumped out to a 30-0 record and finished 54-7 with their first SAC title. They made a return trip to the NAIA National Championship in Decatur, Alabama but fell in the elite eight double-elimination bracket tournament. Hays received his second SAC Coach of the Year honor this season. During his time at LCU, he produced five NAIA All-Americans and a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete.
Hays is no stranger of Texas Tech. He played baseball under his father for three seasons at Texas Tech and enjoyed two coaching stints with the Red Raiders. Hays served as a graduate assistant and then as a full-time assistant in 1999, serving a pair of seasons with the basketball program under head coach James Dickey. He will mark the fifth coach in the history of Texas Tech's softball program, since it returned as an original member of the Big 12 prior to the 1996 season.
Shanon's move to Tech shares some similarities to his father Larry. Both leave Lubbock Christian with national titles in their respective sports. The elder Hays spent from 1971-1986 with Lubbock Christian as the Chaps baseball coach and claimed the 1983 NAIA National title. Larry coached at Texas Tech from 1987 to 2008 and retired 1,509 wins (fourth most all-time wins in college baseball).
A coaching vacancy is the next agenda to be filled at LCU to continue the program's success. Although an immediate replacement is not in place, a plan is in place. The LCU Athletic Department will effort to fill the role with the best candidate that meets the missions of the athletic department and the university.