By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Back in her days at Tuscaloosa, Marisa Runyon put together some outstanding numbers for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Now she returns to the Division I level as she completes Michelle DePolo's coaching staff.
"I'm so excited," Runyon said. "I'm extremely thankful and humbled to have this opportunity. I would love to thank Coach DePolo and the staff for welcoming me into this family. It's been a dream of mine since I was a young kid to coach in college and it is such an honor to be able to say I am a Division I coach at Tennessee Tech."
DePolo added, "I'm thrilled to have Marisa join our team at this pivotal point in time. She is exactly the type of person I was looking for in this process. She has rich experience both on and off the dirt. She is passionate, humble, and will immediately contribute to the overall growth of the program."
Runyon, most recently, was an assistant for Division II Lynn University. Her one season there was cut short, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the team hitting .256 across 30 games with eight home runs, 105 RBI, a .351 on-base percentage and a .329 slugging percentage. The team also posted a .949 fielding percentage with four double plays turned in the shortened campaign. The Fighting Knights finished 13-17.
In her Alabama days, she had a wealth of big moments for the Crimson Tide and legendary coach Patrick Murphy. Runyon had a game-winning grand slam over Oklahoma in the third game of the NCAA Super Regional, sending Alabama to a second-straight Women's College World Series of three consecutive appearances, its 10th overall at the time. She also appeared in the 2014 WCWS title game.
"I was fortunate enough to have four of the best years of my life in college," she said. "My teammates were just as excited for me hitting that grand-slam as if they did it themselves. I will never forget meeting my teammates at home plate that night and I can't wait to watch our athletes have big moments themselves."
Over the course of her four-year career, spanning 2014 to 2017, the so-nicknamed "Home Runyon" provided plenty of power in the Tide's lineup, hitting 36 home runs and collecting 168 RBI – including a team-high 19 homers and what was then an Alabama single-season record 80 RBI in her sophomore campaign. She was also a career .277 hitter with 87 runs scored, 33 doubles and five triples.
"I'm very passionate about what I do – hitting specifically," Runyon said, "but I am also so excited to learn from Coach DePolo and Coach V (Carly Van Auken) and to grow as a coach."
Including the grand slam against Oklahoma, Runyon hit five grand slams in her career. In the Alabama record book, Runyon is also tied for second in single-game RBI (7, vs. Tennessee, 2015), tied for first in single-game home runs (3, vs. Arkansas, 2015), tied for first (12, vs. Arkansas, 2015) and fifth (10, vs. Missouri, 2016) in single-game total bases, fifth in single-season slugging percentage (.770, 2015), fourth in single-season home runs (19, 2015), second in single-season RBI (80, 2015), 10th in career home runs (36) and tied for 10th in career RBI (168).
The Myrtle Beach, S.C.-native earned NFCA third-team All-America and first-team All-Region honors, as well as a second-team All-Southeastern Conference and SEC All-Tournament team nod in 2015.
"Marisa's softball experience is without question," DePolo said. "Her list of accomplishments and accolades in the SEC are lengthy and impressive. When listening to her it's easy to see that her internal drive ignited her ability to go head to head with the best in the country and she'll bring that mentality to our program."
While at Alabama, Runyon was selected as one of the university's Emerging Tide Leaders and part of Alabama's delegation at the ESPNW Campus Convention, the first school from the SEC to take part.
Following her graduation from Alabama in 2017 with her bachelor's degree in human performance exercise science and kinesiology with emphasis in coaching, business and disability sports, Runyon worked on her master's degree at Coastal Carolina in sport management, completing the degree in late 2018.
During her tenure in Conway, S.C., Runyon returned to her prep alma mater, Carolina Forest High, spending a year as the assistant coach before being promoted to head coach for the 2018-19 academic year.
"I started as an assistant," Runyon said. "I wasn't sure I wanted to climb the ladder, but when the opportunity came I decided to give it a shot. It really made me appreciate having a staff that was always willing to help. Each coach had their strength and at the end of the day, I trusted each of my coaches. I had a staff full of servant-leaders and that is something I will take into my role here at TTU. I really feel as though my experience as both an assistant and a head coach can be beneficial to this position."
Serving as the head coach there and as an assistant coach at Lynn taught Runyon some valuable lessons.
"I learned to be patient with student-athletes. They all have their own unique personalities and I believe some of the best coaches will take the time to get to know their athletes and always put the individual over the athlete. Coaches can have such a big impact on their players – whether good or bad – and I want our athletes to be able to leave TTU and say they had the greatest four years of their life. I would love to help ensure that these women leave better people and are prepared for life after softball. If I could have even half the impact that my coaches had on me, I think I would be okay with it."
Elsewhere in the sport, Runyon interned with World Fastpitch Connection in 2018 and has also served as a softball instructor.
Outside of coaching, Runyon spent time on internships with The Arc of Tuscaloosa County, working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Adapted Athletics. She also served as a graduate assistant at Coastal Carolina's Recreation and Sport Management Department.
"Marisa's intangibles and values really make her a great fit for Tennessee Tech," said DePolo. "She values the team above all and prioritizes servant leadership. She is a proven self-starter and has done a little bit of everything in her young career."
