Laura Winter Joins Softball Coaching Staff

BRONX, N.Y.- Fresh off her team's third Atlantic 10 title and fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five years, Fordham Softball Head Coach Bridget Orchard has announced the addition of Laura Winter to her staff as a pitching coach for the 2015 campaign.
 
"We are excited to have Laura join our Fordham softball family," Orchard said. "Laura has a tremendous amount of knowledge of the game and played at the highest level. 
 
"Her experience as a player and passion for the game will help our pitchers compete for another championship. We are very fortunate to have her working with our pitching staff. "
 
Winter comes to Rose Hill following a stellar playing career at Notre Dame, where she was widely regarded as one of the premier hurlers in the nation.
 
The San Diego native was a four-time first team all-conference player for the Fighting Irish, earning All-BIG EAST First Team honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior before taking home All-ACC First Team accolades when the Irish switched conferences for the 2014 campaign.  During Notre Dame's final two years in the BIG EAST, Winter took home the conference's Pitcher of the Year award as a sophomore before being named the BIG EAST Player of the Year as a junior.  Winter was also a four-time honoree of the NFCA, taking home Second Team All-Region accolades as a freshman and sophomore before finding spots on the All-Region First Team during her final two seasons.
 
In 167 career appearances, 138 of which were starts, Winter compiled a 112-34 record, tallying an ERA of just 2.12 in the process.  Perhaps the most impressive statistic of her playing days, Winter recorded 1,078 career strikeouts while surrendering just 129 walks in four years.
 
Winter was a second-round selection of the Akron Racers of the NPF, a distinction that she shares with Jen Mineau, Fordham's all-time leader in nearly every single pitching category.
 
Not only a standout on the rubber, Winter also registered a .293 career batting average with the Fighting Irish.  As junior in 2013, Winter hit .338 with 17 home runs and 52 RBIs.