By KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star
SAN BENITO — The search for a new softball coach is over at San Benito High School. On Wednesday night, the San Benito CISD school board made it official by hiring Denise Lira.
Lira has 13 years of experience at the collegiate level. Her previous stops where at Concordia University as the head coach, the University of the Incarnate Word as a first assistant and she also spent time at Mary Hardin-Baylor as an assistant.
San Benito athletic director Dan Gomez said, “We are excited to have Coach Lira join our Greyhound family and are looking forward to the great things she’ll be able to accomplish for our athletics department and our Lady Greyhounds.”
In a press release, Lira said, “I am very honored to continue to lead a strong competitive high school softball program. I am eager to get started working with the team and assist in creating strong student-athletes for the future. It’s a very exciting time to be a Greyhound and to be a part of a very supportive community. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.”
Below are some of Lira’s career highlights:
Concordia University
— 21 ASC All-Academic Players.
— 24 ASC All-Academic Players.
—Overall record of 77-41.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
— American Southwest Conference, 2010 West Division Coaching Staff of the Year.
— National Fastpitch Coaches Association, 2008 West Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
— Assisted first team in school history to compete in the NCAA Regional Tournament in 2008.
— Assisted in coaching a Central Texas All-Star Team helping them to compete against the USA Olympics.
—She has been serving at the University of Incarnate Word as a kinesiology adjunct professor since 2015.