Completed Event: Softball versus Northern Colorado on February 13, 2026 , Win , 12, to, 0
Softball
vs Northern Colorado
W 12-0
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Kat Frakes hired as pitching coach
6/14/2024 2:30:00 PM | Softball
GCU staff reloads with young softball mind from Nicholls
The Grand Canyon softball program found its next pitching coach in a young and successful Kat Frakes, who makes her way to Phoenix after successful stints at Nicholls State and Drury.
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As an assistant at Nicholls State for the last two seasons, Frakes led the team to a combined 60-50 record. The Colonels took third place in the Southland Conference both years. Frakes coached Nicholls pitcher Audrey McNeil to three SLC Pitcher of the Week awards. McNeil threw 12 complete games in 32 appearances with an impressive 2.07 ERA.
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Frakes spent the 2022 season as an assistant coach for Drury, where the Panthers took third in the Great Valley Lakes Conference and made the program's first appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament. Drury posted a 37-17 record with a 21-7 mark in conference play. Drury pitcher Kristina Bettis became the program's first-ever All-America selection when she was named to the first team of the 2022 D-II All-America squad by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
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"We are very fortunate to hire Kat as our new pitching coach," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "She had some great opportunities elsewhere, but she wanted to be a part of what we have built here at GCU and continue to build our staff. She has experience building and developing pitchers that know how to compete. She's also a softball junkie that loves the game. Kat is a perfect fit here at GCU, and I look forward to working with her."
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Coach Frakes will take the reins of a pitching staff that competed very well collectively, ranking 38th in the country in ERA, tied for 19th in shutouts with 14, and the 28th best strikeout-to-walk ratio. Most of the staff returns and will look to lead the Lopes through the WAC one more time before the school's transition to the WCC in July 2025.
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As an assistant at Nicholls State for the last two seasons, Frakes led the team to a combined 60-50 record. The Colonels took third place in the Southland Conference both years. Frakes coached Nicholls pitcher Audrey McNeil to three SLC Pitcher of the Week awards. McNeil threw 12 complete games in 32 appearances with an impressive 2.07 ERA.
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Frakes spent the 2022 season as an assistant coach for Drury, where the Panthers took third in the Great Valley Lakes Conference and made the program's first appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament. Drury posted a 37-17 record with a 21-7 mark in conference play. Drury pitcher Kristina Bettis became the program's first-ever All-America selection when she was named to the first team of the 2022 D-II All-America squad by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
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"We are very fortunate to hire Kat as our new pitching coach," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "She had some great opportunities elsewhere, but she wanted to be a part of what we have built here at GCU and continue to build our staff. She has experience building and developing pitchers that know how to compete. She's also a softball junkie that loves the game. Kat is a perfect fit here at GCU, and I look forward to working with her."
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Coach Frakes will take the reins of a pitching staff that competed very well collectively, ranking 38th in the country in ERA, tied for 19th in shutouts with 14, and the 28th best strikeout-to-walk ratio. Most of the staff returns and will look to lead the Lopes through the WAC one more time before the school's transition to the WCC in July 2025.
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