Set to begin her fifth season as the Cerritos College softball coach, Kodee Murray has led her teams to a South Coast Conference Co-Championship and the #2-seed in the Southern California Regional Playoffs two seasons ago. She followed that up with a second place in the conference and another berth in the Southern California Regionals. In addition, Murray won her 100^th game as the Falcons head coach when the team defeated East Los Angeles College, 3-2 on April 7, 2005. In the last two seasons, her teams have a combined 59-18 record and during her tenure, she has turned the Cerritos College softball program into a serious contender year in and year out.

          Two seasons ago, Murray was named the SCC Coach of the Year, as well as the Southern California Coach of the Year. After missing the post-season her first year, Murray guided the Falcons to three consecutive Southern California Regional appearances. Seven of her players have also earned scholarships to play at the four-year level during her four seasons.

          In her four seasons, Murray has guided her teams to a 109-52 (.677) record. In her first season, Murray led an all-freshman team to the school’s best finish since the 1990 season. Murray became the fourth coach of the Cerritos College softball program in the last five years after being hired to lead the team four seasons ago. She came to the Falcons after spending the 2001 season as an assistant coach at Santa Ana College, where they placed second in the State Championships. Murray brings coaching experience that spans every level – high school, community college, and professionally both in the United States and internationally.

          Murray has over 17 years of experience coaching, with nine of those at the community college level. She spent six years as the head coach at Los Angeles Valley College, rebuilding a team that had been on hiatus for a number of years. Murray coached at the high school level for six years, including a CIF Championship team at Woodbridge High School in Irvine in 1988. Professionally, Murray coached the Tampa Bay Firestix of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch team out of Tampa Bay, Florida, and helped them to within three games of winning their division. Internationally, Murray coached the Regio Calabria Team in the Italian Softball Federation

          Murray played softball at Golden West College for two years and at Cal Poly University, Pomona from 1982-83, where she earned All-West Region honors in 1983 and ASA All-American honors in 1984. After college, Murray played second base for the Orange Majestics, which included winning the 1987 ASA Women’s Major Fastpitch National Championship and several berths to the Olympic Festival.

          Murray earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Cal Poly Pomona in 1985 and a Master of Science degree in Physical Education from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 1991. She earned a second Master’s degree in Special Education from National University in 1994.

          Also beginning his fifth season with the Falcon coaching staff, Bud Murray is also the father of head coach Kodee Murray. Coach Murray has been a coach at the high school, junior college and Division I level, as well as with college semi-pro and women’s professional fastpitch teams. His experiences with both baseball and softball spans over 46 years, which makes him a valuable addition to the Falcon staff. While the head baseball coach at Hart High School, Murray led his teams to 26 league titles and they won the 1999 CIF Southern Section Division II Championship. Upon his retirement from the school, Murray had his number (30) retired and the field was renamed in his honor. Three years ago, he was named the California Baseball Coach of the Year, while he compiled an amazing 516-176 record during his 39 years of coaching high school and junior college baseball.

          In addition to coaching at Hart High, Murray also spent time at Los Angeles Pierce College, Mission College, Cal State Northridge and the Wenatchee Apple Sox, a minor league baseball team in Washington. He also spent time as the Tampa Bay Fire Stix assistant coach, which is a women’s fastpitch softball team.

          A former professional baseball player himself, Murray spent 4½ years (1955-59) with the Brooklyn Dodgers as a pitcher. Upon graduation from high school in Scottsbluff, NE, where he lettered in football, basketball and track, Murray transferred to Nebraska State College on a basketball scholarship. His high school did not have a baseball team, so he spent his extra time playing American Legion baseball. In 1955, Murray earned All-State honors in basketball after his team won the state championship. In the finals, Murray scored a record 33 points. While at Nebraska State College, Murray earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Science and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

          Starting her second season on the coaching staff is former Cerritos College player Silvia Park. She was a two-year starter and was part of the famed sophomore class of 2004 that led to a conference championship and post-season birth. That class also helped return the program to the elite days with their first South Coast Conference championship in 14 years. Park is an avid fan of all sports and will be a huge asset to the Falcon coaching staff. She has already transferred to Long Beach State, where she will be receiving her undergraduate in Business Administration at the end of the semester.