BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— The Samford University softball program has hired Rachel Fox as an assistant coach working with the team's pitchers, head coach
Mandy Burford announced Wednesday.
"I am very excited to welcome Rachel into our Samford Softball family," Burford said. "I am proud of all of the accomplishments of our team and staff over the past seven years and I think Rachel will not only be able to continue those traditions, but also take us to another level. Samford is a special place and I believe Rachel will be the perfect fit. Her knowledge of the game both playing and coaching combined with her high character and faith will make her fit right in at Samford."
Fox is an extremely accomplished pitcher at both the collegiate and professional levels. She helped lead her team to a World Championship with her professional softball team, the Scrap Yard Dawgs.
Collegiately, Fox spent two seasons as the ace of the Texas A&M pitching staff. During her senior campaign she tossed 182 strikeouts in 232 innings of work as the Aggies' Friday/Sunday starter, while recording a 3.14 ERA and a 23-14 record in 37 starts and 46 appearances, with four saves and six shutouts. As a Redshirt Junior, Fox tossed 123 strikeouts in 158.1 innings of work with a 3.54 ERA and a 15-11 record in 30 starts and 34 appearances. While with the Aggies, Fox led the squad to two NCAA Regional appearances in two seasons with the program.
In addition to her on-the-field accomplishments, Fox earned the honor of being added to the SEC Community Service Team, which looks to highlight a student-athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts. She was the 2015 recipient of the Margaret Rudder Community Service Award, which seeks to recognize and award those who significantly impact their community and, as a result, are themselves impacted by that contribution. This award is designed to inspire student volunteerism on a continual basis, encouraging the utilization of various service organizations and the Leadership and Service Center. She double majored while at Texas A&M, earning degrees in Communication and Leadership.
Fox transferred to Texas A&M after spending her freshman and sophomore seasons at the University of Texas, where she made two NCAA Regional Appearances with the Longhorns, one of which also including a Super Regional showing. She finished her sophomore year ranked eighth in the Big 12 with her 2.28 ERA posting a 14-2 record with eight complete games, 16 starts and 25 appearances. As a freshman she ranked second in the Big 12 with her 1.24 ERA, eighth with her 18 victories and seventh with six shutouts.
Fox finished her college career with a solid 70-29 record, a 2.71 ERA and 517 strikeouts between the two schools.
Fox comes to Samford after one season as the pitching coach at the University of the Incarnate Word. Prior to her time at UIW, she spent the previous two seasons as the graduate assistant at Mississippi State University, earning a Master's in Education.
The Sugar Land, Texas, native was a four-year letter winner at Fort Bend Baptist Academy. During her career she was a two-time Texas Gatorade Player of the Year (2009-10), four-time All-State and All-State Tournament Team selection, four-time district MVP and the 2010 Houston Chronicle Player of the Year. She led Fort Bend to three state titles (5A: 2007, 4A: 2009-10) and was named to the Greater Houston All-Star Team in 2010. She amassed a 116-13-3 record with a 0.13 ERA and 1,585 strikeouts in her four years at FBBA.
