Taryne Mowatt hired as Arizona softball pitching coach

She’s back!

A former Wildcat is coming home.

Arizona softball has hired Taryne Mowatt as its new pitching coach, it was announced Tuesday.

The UA alumna will replace long-time assistant Stacy Iveson, who will move into an administrative role and lead Arizona’s recruiting efforts and operations, per the UA.

“Stacy came to me and wanted to move into more of an administrative role,” head coach Mike Candrea said. “She wanted to help this team more than on the field, especially in recruiting. This gives her a chance to spend a little more time with her son, which is good. She did an evaluation of the needs of our program and I thought it was big of her to see the big picture. I’m very excited that she’ll still be a part of this.

“So the next decision was to replace her on the field with a pitching coach. After a search, it was a foregone conclusion that Taryne Mowatt was very qualified and ready to come back and lead the pitchers. I think she’ll bring great energy and passion for the program and a face that the kids we’re recruiting can still relate to. With Taryne and Caitlin (Lowe), who both played here, I think we’ve got something really special.”

Mowatt pitched at Arizona from 2005-2008 and led the Wildcats to back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.

In 2007, Mowatt was the Women’s College World Series MVP after setting records in innings pitched (60), strikeouts (76) and complete games (8), as the Wildcats won their eighth title in school history.

That performance earned Mowatt two ESPY awards. One as the Best Female Athlete and the other as the Best Female College Athlete.

Mowatt is joining Arizona’s staff after two years as Ole Miss’ pitching coach.

“Mowatt helped lead the charge in the turnaround of the Rebels’ program,” says the UA’s release.

“After inheriting a staff with a 4.30 ERA in 2015, she lowered the 2016 Rebels’ ERA to 3.26 and then to 2.10 in 2017. That improvement helped Ole Miss produce its most successful season in school history. The Rebels won 43 games and hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time in school history. Mowatt and the staff were awarded NFCA Division I Regional Coaching Staff of the Year Award.”

Before joining Ole Miss’ staff, Mowatt played professionally in National Pro Fastpitch, and coached at Cal Baptist.

“Taryne is a fierce competitor,” Candrea said. “She pitched with a chip on her shoulder. She’s the type of coach that will develop our pitchers to be the same competitive athlete that she was. She’s gained great experience the last three years in the SEC facing good competition each every week, which will help her in the Pac-12.

“She has a great vision on what needs to be done, now it’s about getting the kids to buy in to the approach that it takes to get things done. I’m thrilled to have her. She’s a hard worker and has matured a lot since I had her as a player. She’s got a passion for coaching.”

Iveson, who has been on UA’s staff for 12 years in two different stints, “will focus on coordinating the recruiting efforts as a staff including correspondence, official and unofficial visit planning as well as organizing and managing institutional camps and clinics,” per the UA.

“Iveson will still have a presence with the team helping it prepare for opponents with video analysis before competition and statistical charting during practice and games.”

The Wildcats had one of the top pitching staffs in the country last season, but ace Danielle O’Toole graduated, so they will have to find a reliable No. 2 pitcher to complement junior Taylor McQuillin.

Freshmen Hanah Bowen and Taylor Gilmore and Purdue transfer/Tucson native Gina Snyder are UA’s options.

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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