Montgomery Finalizes Experienced Coaching Staff
10/7/2019 2:30:00 PM | Softball
COLLEGE PARK, Md.- Maryland softball coach Mark Montgomery announces the addition of assistant coaches Mike Larabee and Chelsea Butler to the coaching staff.
Larabee joins the Terps from Central Washington University, where he has been the head coach since 2015. Butler joins the program from Incarnate Word, where she was the pitching coach, bringing over a decade of experience as a student-athlete and pitching coach.
In his tenure at Central Washington, Larabee led his team to four straight conference championships, while also setting a new Great Northwest Atlantic Conference record for most consecutive regular-season titles. He advanced to two NCAA Division II West Regionals, clinching one regional in 2018.
"I couldn't be more excited to get someone with Coach Larabee's credentials to College Park," Montgomery stated. "Mike is a fantastic addition to the Maryland Softball team. He has enjoyed so much success throughout his career. He really is like adding a second head coach. He will bring a wealth of experience to the team in both teaching the game to our young players as well as helping us grow our recruiting efforts to new heights."
Larabee brings immense experience to Maryland, beginning his college coaching career at the University of Illinois as an assistant coach from 2002 to 2004. He landed his first head coaching job in 2005 at Wright State where he remained until 2009, making two NCAA appearances in 2007 and 2008. In 2010 he went to Arkansas as the head coach, where he spent six seasons, also making two NCAA tournament appearances in 2012 and 2013.
Not only does he bring collegiate experience, he also had professional experience being named the USA National Softball Team Pool Coach 2005, in which he did until 2012. In 2011 he was named assistant coach for Team USA, helping them to earn a Gold Medal in the XVI Pan American Games.
Prior to her time at Incarnate Word, Butler she served as the associate head coach at Presbyterian College (2014-18), where she was in charge of the pitching staff, while also being the recruiting coordinator.
"Chelsea is a tremendous pitching coach," said Montgomery. "She has a proven track record of helping young pitchers develop. She will be instrumental in the growth of our program. She brings a great deal of recruiting knowledge of having worked with programs on the East Coast and yet hailing from the West Coast. She will work with volunteer assistant Mike Forsythe this season in the implementation of our pitching program and I am confident everyone will see some amazing results."
While at Presbyterian, Butler coached three All-Big South pitchers, 18 NFCA Scholar Athletes, and helped the Blue Hose earn 2015 Big South runner-up honors. Before Presbyterian, Butler spent time at Temple, Utah State and Eastern Kentucky.
As a player, Butler was a two-year pitcher (2008-09) for Eastern Kentucky. Her career was highlighted by a standout senior season in which she posted a 2.32 ERA. Prior to arriving at EKU, Butler played two seasons at Golden West Junior College. As a sophomore there, she posted a 21-13 record with a 1.35 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 231.2 innings of work. She earned first team all-conference recognition and was an all-tournament selection.
