Lombardi to be coach at Oregon

Longtime Oklahoma softball assistant coach Melyssa Lombardi has accepted the head coaching job at Oregon.

She will replace Mike White, who left the Ducks to become head coach at Texas.

Lombardi played at OU under coach Patty Gasso from 1995-96. Immediately after her playing career, Lombardi joined Gasso’s staff as a graduate assistant.

After just a year, Lombardi was elevated to pitching coach — a position she held for the last 21 seasons. In 2007, she added another title: associate head coach.

“Just really grinds,” Gasso said of Lombardi in 2017. “She learns. She works. She pays attention. She looks for the little things.”

During her tenure at OU, she helped develop dozens of the top pitchers and catchers, including Paige Parker, Paige Lowary, Keilani Ricketts, Michelle Gascoigne, Jennifer Stewart, Ashli Barrett, Heather Scaglione and Jessica Shults.

During her tenure, she helped the Sooners to 12 Women’s College World Series appearances and four national titles.

With her impressive track record, Lombardi has been courted by many top programs.

“Any time that you hear of a big job, I’m sure Melyssa’s name gets thrown out there,” Former OU hitting coach and current Florida coach Tim Walton told The

Oklahoman last year. “I think most coaches are trying to get Melyssa to take off and go to another school. Maybe break up that dynamic a little bit because they’re so good together.”

This time around, Oregon’s pitch worked.

With her departure and the graduation of aces Lowary and Parker, the Sooners’ pitching staff figures to be much different next season. OU returns a trio of righthanded rising juniors in Mariah Lopez, Parker Conrad and Melanie Olmos.

OU also signed right-handed pitcher Brooke Vestal. The New Braunfels, Texas, native is expected to join the Sooners as a freshman in the fall and was named an All-American by Flo Softball three times.