Published: July 17, 2008 12:15 pm            

Meuchel ready to join Pack

Matt Meuchel helped build Nevada’s softball program from scratch.

His toil, sweat and tears didn’t go unnoticed.

Meuchel, who has been an assistant at Oklahoma State the past two seasons, was named the Wolf Pack’s new head coach earlier this week. This will be the first head coaching position for Meuchel, who spent four years at Nevada before arriving in Stillwater.

“This is absolutely the dream job for me,” he said. “To now have the chance to return to the program and take it to the next level on the national scene is more than I could ever ask for.”

“We are excited to bring Matt back to the University of Nevada,” Wolf Pack athletic director Cary Groth said in a press release. “Matt has strong ties to Nevada and his familiarity with the program will be a huge asset as we move forward.”

Meuchel was hired by then-head coach Michelle Gardner prior to the 2003 season when Nevada reinstated its softball program. He helped guide the Wolf Pack to a Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in ’06.

Meuchel served as Nevada’s recruiting coordinator and was the squad’s associate head coach during his final season in Reno. Last season, he helped lead the Cowgirls to a 26-25 record including a 9-9 mark in Big 12 play — which was their highest conference win total since 2003.

“Matt is one of the hardest working coaches out there,” OSU coach Rich Wieligman said in a release. “I knew we’d lose him someday but I was hoping it wouldn’t be this quick. He got us on the right track and he brought in some great recruiting classes for us.

“He’s going to be sorely missed here, but we couldn’t be happier for Matt because he certainly deserves this opportunity.”

Meuchel replaces Gardner, who filled the head coaching vacancy at Indiana last month. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Arizona State in 2001, and earned his first full-time job as a recruiting coordinator at McNeese State in ’02.

Meuchel also worked with the Greek Olympic softball club during the 2004 Athens Summer Games. He was responsible for advance scouting and was also first-base coach during the team’s European Tour.

He will now take over a Wolf Pack squad that finished 44-18 last season and claimed the WAC’s regular-season title. Nevada, which finished the year ranked 20th in the nation, advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Los Angeles Regional before falling to third-ranked UCLA.

“I am thrilled for this opportunity and for the chance to return to Reno and the great softball community here,” Meuchel said.

Of the 18 players on the Wolf Pack’s roster, 13 will return next season including six starters.

        

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