BOSTON — Former University of Maine softball standout Ashley Waters has been named the seventh Boston University softball head coach in program history, director of athletics Drew Marrochello announced Tuesday.
“When we conduct a search for a head coach, we are focused on finding the right fit for not just our team but for BU,” Marrochello said in a news release.
“And for every category we identified — providing our students with a top-notch experience, supporting the academic pursuits of students attending a prestigious university, competing at the highest level nationally and understanding the softball landscape in Massachusetts and the Northeast — Ashley checked every box. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the Terrier family, and look forward to watching her impact on our students and our softball program,” Marrochello said.
Waters, a former America East Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, accumulated numerous academic and athletic awards as infielder at Maine before graduating in 2009. The two-time team captain received America East All-Conference First Team accolades in her junior and senior seasons while earning Player of the Year honors in 2008 behind a .352 batting average, 10 homers and 30 RBIs. She also was a two-time NFCA All-Region honoree.
Accepting her first head-coaching position, Waters is quite familiar with the 10-time conference champion Terriers, as she has served as the top assistant at Harvard for the last three seasons and played against BU while at Maine.
“I am excited to join the Boston University community, to work with the student-athletes and to maintain and elevate the softball program’s tradition of success,” Waters, an Amesbury, Massachusetts, native said in the release.
“I would like to thank Drew Marrochello for this incredible opportunity; I am honored to be a Terrier,” she added. “I loved my time at Harvard and am forever grateful to Jenny Allard and the athletic department for their support and development the past three years. I am thrilled to continue my career in Boston and eager to embrace this new chapter.”
During her tenure at Harvard, Waters focused on coordinating infield and hitting instruction along with recruiting efforts. She helped the Crimson post 73 victories, highlighted by a 14-3-1 Ivy League record in 2014, and claim 17 total all-conference honors..
Before joining the Crimson, Waters served as an assistant coach for the Charmers Under-18 Gold team from 2011-12 in Shelton, Connecticut, where she was involved in player development, recruitment and organizing practices. She was the head coach and administrative coordinator for the Wicked U18 team based in Newtown, Connecticut, from 2009-2011.
She got her start in collegiate coaching just after graduation, as she spent the fall of 2009 as an assistant on the Maine coaching staff.