June 16, 1999

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Gina LaMandre and Rachel Lawson, Maryland's softball coaching staff have been named the Mid-Atlantic region coaching staff of the year.

LaMandre and Lawson led Maryland to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history in 1999. The Terps won a school-record 51 games, claimed the regular season championship of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the South Atlantic Softball Alliance, and were ranked No 12 in the final USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll. Maryland was ranked as high as No. 21 during the regular season and advanced to within one game of the College World Series as it upset No. 3 Arizona during regional play in the NCAA Tournament. The Terps defeated the Wildcats, 7-3, on May 22.

LaMandre, the Terps' only coach in the history of the program, improved her record to 153-123-1 in five years. She was named as the ACC Coach of the Year for the first time during her career following the 1999 season.

It marks the third time during her career that LaMandre has been honored as region coach of the year. She also earned the honor following the 1996 and 1997 seasons.

Lawson, a standout player at Massachusetts from 1991-1994, just completed her third season as an assistant coach at Maryland. Maryland has increased its number of wins during of Lawson's three years in College Park. The Terps won 26 games during her inaugural year (1997), improved to 28 her second season (1998) and won a school-record 51 games this season.