Stone named TAMUT’s first softball coach

From Staff Reports

TEXARKANA -- Texas A&M University-Texarkana recently announced the addition of Pittsburg native Marie Stone as head coach of the new Eagles softball team.

A&M-Texarkana Athletics Director Michael Galvan said the university is thrilled to have  Stone joining the Eagles coaching staff.

“Marie has been a head softball coach, has started a softball program, and has recruiting ties throughout Texas and the region,” Galvan said. “I believe she will be a trailblazer for our new softball program.”

Dr. Emily Cutrer, president of A&M-Texarkana, said students, faculty, staff and the community are excited about the addition of softball to the Eagles intercollegiate athletics lineup.

Stone said she’s excited to get in on the ground floor of the growing athletic program at A&M-Texarkana.

“I want to thank President Cutrer and AD Galvan for the opportunity to be the first softball coach at A&M-Texarkana. It’s very exciting to be able to build a softball program from the ground up,” Stone said. “One of my goals this year is to get to know the academic community and to recruit a class of student-athletes who are successful on the field and in the classroom.”

Stone comes from Murray State College in Tishomingo, Okla., where she spent four years as head coach of the Lady Aggies softball program. 

Last season, the Lady Aggies set single-season team records for total runs scored, home runs, stolen bases, hits, and highest batting average.

Under Stone, the Lady Aggies won Regionals in each of the last three seasons. During the 2015 season, the team received numerous honors and was ranked 17th nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for team grade-point average.

Prior to joining the Murray State coaching staff, Stone spent three years at Western Oregon University (NCAA, Division II). In addition to her responsibilities as recruiting coordinator and assistant softball coach, she spent five months as interim head coach.

In 2010, Stone started the softball program at Our Lady of the Lake University, a member of the Red River Athletics Conference in San Antonio, Texas. 

She was honored by her peers as the Red River Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
Stone also served as an assistant coach at Reinhardt University (NAIA) in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hill College (NJCAA) in Hillsboro.

Stone played at Texas Wesleyan University from 2004-2006, where she earned first team All-Region honors in 2006, Red River Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2006 and Red River Conference first team All-Conference in 2005.

Stone said she looks forward to recruiting students from the Texarkana area, as well as the four-state region and beyond.

“I plan to get the ball rolling on recruitment quickly and to identify a group of quality student-athletes who will be ready to help build a solid and successful program,” she said.

The Eagles softball team will have its first game in Spring 2018.

Stone is the daughter of the late Charles Stone and Barbara Stone of Pittsburg.