Samantha Ricketts Named Mississippi State Head Coach

Samantha Ricketts was announced as the sixth head coach at Mississippi State on Monday afternoon.
"It became clear during our search that Samantha Ricketts was the right fit to lead Mississippi State softball," said Athletic Director John Cohen in a press release. "Samantha's vision, national recruiting experience and her ability to teach the game were the biggest factors in our decision. She has been one of the most sought-after rising stars in the nation. Coach Ricketts has the utmost respect from our student-athletes and her peers around the country. With her SEC experience and her time at Oklahoma, she knows what it takes to develop our student-athletes into strong people both on and off the field."
Ricketts served as an assistant coach from 2015-18 and was promoted to associate head coach in the summer of 2018.
"I am honored and thrilled for the opportunity to lead Mississippi State softball," Ricketts said in the release. "I am thankful to (Director of Athletics) John Cohen and (President) Dr. Mark Keenum for believing in me. I take so much pride in this program, and we will work extremely hard and efficiently in elevating Mississippi State softball to our ultimate goals. I am eager to continue to mentor our team, not just as Bulldog student-athletes but as first-class leaders in this community."
She will be formally introduced at a press conference in Starkville on Thursday, July 25 at 10 a.m.