Cameron Athletics names new softball skipper

LAWTON, Oklahoma (November 16) – The Cameron Athletic Department has named Richie Nye as the new head coach of the Aggie Softball team. Nye will officially take the reigns on December 1st. He takes over for recently departed Brent Shaw, who left to become an assistant softball coach at the University of Georgia. 

“I was very excited that at this time of year we could get such a high-quality pool of candidates,” Cameron’s Athletic Director Jim Jackson said. “Coach Nye has proven he can succeed at the college level and has a passion for softball. I really look forward to working with him and know he will be a great addition to the department, the university, and the community.”

Nye has been the head coach at Carl Albert State College (Poteau, Okla.) where he led the Lady Vikings to their first Regional Championship and a sixth-place finish in the NJCAA National tournament. He won 123 games in his three seasons at CASC.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for me to join such an up and coming program,” Nye said. “Coach Shaw won a lot of games last season and was able to get the program headed in the right direction and at the right level. I just hope to continue with Cameron’s tradition.”

Nye was also a minor league pitcher in the Minnesota Twins farm system (Florida) throughout the mid-1990’s, but left to pursue coaching. “It was one of those things I knew I was good at,” Nye said of playing baseball. “I was just able to translate that over into the teaching field.” 

Nye’s baseball background was something that impressed Jackson during the interview process. “I particularly liked how he adapts his baseball knowledge for softball to give his teams a different edge. It will be something a little new to our program,” Jackson said.

Jackson added that Nye’s field maintenance experience was also a deciding factor in his hiring decision. “I expect our softball field to take on a new look with his (Nye’s) experience in field maintenance. We were looking for the right fit for the program, and I believe we found it,” he said.

The Cameron Aggie Softball team opens up their spring schedule on February 2nd at the St. Mary’s Tournament in San Antonio, Texas.