 
Kim Sowder, a 1998 inductee into the Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame, enters her fourth year at the helm of the 49er softball program. After spending 11 years as an assistant coach at LBSU, Sowder took the reins in 2006, following long-time head coach Pete Manarino's retirement. Sowder led The Beach to its sixth Big West Conference title and 18th NCAA Regional appearance in 2008. The 49ers finished the campaign with a 40-17 record and were ranked 22nd and 23rd in the final USA Softball and NFCA polls, respectively. Sowder, who was tabbed the co-Big West Coach of the Year, saw eight of her players earn all-conference recognition. In addition, freshman Brooke Turner picked up All-America and All-West Region honors after being named the BWC Pitcher of the Year. In 2007, Long Beach State concluded their sixth straight winning campaign en route to finishing third in the conference. While five teams from the Big West were selected to the postseason, the 49ers were inexplicably left out from that group despite finishing three games back of the title. The 49ers hit .260 on the year and outperformed their opponents defensively. Along with on-field accomplishments, the 49ers have also earned a number of accolades off the field. In 2007, Sowder's first as head coach, Long Beach State had a record number of student-athletes honored academically, as six players were named NFCA Scholar All-Americans by the national coaching organization. In Sowder's 11 years as an assistant/associate coach with the 49ers, Long Beach State recorded a .626 overall winning percentage, won five conference championships, and made nine NCAA appearances. In 2006, Sowder helped lead the 49ers to a 31-22 record and an appearance at the NCAA Regional at UCLA. Working with hitting and defense, Sowder has had a tremendous impact on the 49ers. In the 1990s, The Beach posted some of the highest batting averages in the history of the program. In 2005, LBSU hit for a school record .273 batting average, eclipsing the previous high, .263 set in 1996. Sowder's coaching has also helped the defense, as the 49ers have led the Big West Conference in team fielding percentage four of the last seven seasons. The 1998 squad won the NCAA fielding percentage crown with its school record .978 clip. As the former Kim Kostyk, Sowder was a speedy, slick-fielding shortstop in her four years (1989-92) at The Beach. A 1991 third-team All-American, she helped the 49ers to three (1990-92) of their five trips to the NCAA Women's College World Series. She also earned second team All-Big West honors as a junior in 1991 and was a Big West honorable mention pick in 1992. The school's all-time stolen base leader with 50, Sowder's 19 thefts in 1991 still ranks as the 49ers single-season high. She is also among the top 10 in career at-bats (860), runs (96), walks (49), hits (204) and sacrifices (52). Defensively, she holds three of the top four single-season assist marks with 243 in 1992, 233 in 1990, and 214 in 1991. Due to her accomplishments, Sowder was inducted into the 49er Hall of Fame in 1998. Sowder earned her undergraduate degree in marketing in 1993. She then went into the coaching ranks, serving two years as an assistant coach at Pacific. A product of Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights, she currently resides with husband Shawn and their two children, Zachary and Jacob, in Yorba Linda. |
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