Bruggeman Joins Softball Staff as Associate Head Coach
June 09, 2005 | Softball
June 9, 2005
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- - University of Louisville softball coach Sandy Pearsall has announced the addition of Carol Bruggeman as associate head coach.
"We are very happy to have Carol Bruggeman on board," said Pearsall. "She brings a great deal of experience and knowledge of the game and we are fortunate to have a coach of her caliber joining our staff. Carol will help our program continue to progress toward our goal of reaching the Women's College World Series."
Bruggeman joins the Cardinals from Purdue, where she started the Boilermaker softball program and was the head coach from 1994 to 2005. After guiding the team to a 21-17-1 inaugural season in 1994, she went on to compile a 380-304-2 career record during her 12 year tenure. Her teams posted 30 or more wins in nine of the past 10 seasons. With Bruggeman at the helm, Purdue has had 23 All Big Ten Selections, 24 All-Mideast Region Selections and one National Fastpitch Coaches Association First Team All-American. The 2005 Boilermakers finished with a 34-24-1 mark and secured a spot in the Big Ten tournament.
"I have been presented with an incredible professional opportunity at the University of Louisville," said Bruggeman. "I am very excited about working with Sandy Pearsall and Karen Marr, two driven and well-respected coaches. They have developed a nationally competitive program and I am honored to join them in continuing their quest in winning championships. The administration at Louisville has made an unbelievable commitment to creating an environment for Louisville softball, where student-athletes can thrive and succeed at the highest level."
Prior to working at Purdue, Brueggeman was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1989 to 1993. During that time, the Wolverines won back-to-back Big Ten championships in 1992 and 1993. Michigan earned NCAA tournament bids both years, marking the first postseason trips in program history.
Bruggeman began her coaching career as graduate assistant at her alma mater Iowa. As a player for the Hawkeyes, she earned All-Big Ten and All-Mideast Region honors as an outfielder. She was also an Academic All-American, a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and received Iowa's Athletic Academic Medal of Honor. In 1997, Bruggeman was inducted into the Iowa Softball Association Hall of Fame. . "Carol has done a tremendous job in starting the program at Purdue and has helped the program become a strong presence in the Big Ten over the past 12 years," said Pearsall. "She was an assistant under Michigan's Carol Hutchins and worked and played for Iowa's Gayle Blevins, two of the premier programs in the country."
A native of Charter Oak, Iowa, Bruggeman received her bachelor's degree in accounting from Iowa in 1987 and continued her education at Iowa, earning a master's in athletic administration and coaching in 1990. She is currently pursuing doctoral degree in higher education administration.
U of L closed the 2005 season with a 43-20 overall record, setting a new school mark for wins in a season. The Cards won their first C-USA regular season title, finished runner-up in the league tournament and earned their second consecutive at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
