Sports
Hermanek Adds Former Bobcat To Staff
By: Kellen Becoats
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Former Bobcat Jillian Van Wagnen has joined the Ohio softball staff as an assistant coach, head coach Jodi Hermanek announced Wednesday, Sept. 10.
Van Wagnen played four years on the softball team from 2009-12, amassing a .308 batting average, 118 hits, 75 runs scored and 69 stolen bases, which is second-most in Ohio’s history. The outfielder started 161 games during that span.
After graduating with a degree in physical education, Van Wagnen received a job as an assistant coach at Newman University. While with the Jets, she focused on coaching outfielders and working on the team’s slap hitting and base stealing.
She also worked as the directer of operations with the Wichita Mustangs Softball Academy, where she supervised the daily activities that took place within the organization.
Most recently, Van Wagnen served as a physical education teacher at Longfellow Middle School in Lorain, Ohio. And while at Longfellow, she also worked as the assistant softball coach for the varsity team.
Van Wagnen’s knowledge of slap hitting and base stealing can help an already explosive Bobcat offense that went 32-26 last season. Ohio also won its first-ever conference tournament title in 2014 while also returning to the NCAA postseason for the first time in nearly two decades.