Heather Tarter named Assistant Softball Coach

 Tarter is the reigning Summit League Coach of the Year

 University of Evansville head softball coach Mat Mundell has announced the hiring of Heather Tarter as an assistant coach with the Purple Aces.

“I am extremely excited to be able to add a coach of Heather’s caliber to our staff,” Mundell said.  “She has a tremendous background starting with her MVC playing experience to her head coaching success.  I have known Heather for a long time and I feel her personality and passion will be a perfect fit for what we are building here in Evansville.”

Tarter spent last season as the Interim Head Coach at IUPUI.  After joining the team early in 2016 as an assistant coach, Tarter took the reins of the program and enjoyed great success.  She led the Jaguars to an 11-6 mark in Summit League play on her way to conference coach of the year honors.

“I am excited about this opportunity and to be back in the Missouri Valley Conference.  I am looking forward to working with Coach Mundell, someone I have known and trusted for a long time.  We are excited to help the Aces reach new heights.”

Her Jaguars were the top seed in the Summit League Tournament and advanced to the championship game for the second year in a row.  The team was also received its first-ever postseason bid, playing in the inaugural National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC).

Prior to IUPUI, Tarter was the head coach at Purdue Calumet for three seasons where she led the Peregrines to a 28-8 mark in the program’s inaugural season.  The 2014 PUC squad ranked in the top 25 in NAIA Division II in five offensive categories and earned a 2-1 win over Division I Purdue in the fall season.

Parkland College was the first stop in Tarter’s coaching career where she served as an assistant from 2010 through 2013.  The Cobras earned 168 wins in her four seasons, including three-consecutive NJCAA Region 24 titles and two NJCAA National Tournament appearances.

Originally from Fairbury, Ill., Tarter spent her first two collegiate seasons playing at Kankakee Community College in Illinois.  She was a standout catcher for the Cobras where she led the team to a pair of NJCAA Regional titles on her way to being an All-Region player.  She finished her career in the Missouri Valley Conference, playing at UNI in her final two year