BATON ROUGE — Head coach Yvette Girouard announced the appointment of former Tiger and volunteer coach Kristen Hobbs Tuesday as an assistant coach effective immediately. Hobbs replaces Megan Smith, who accepted the head coaching position at Kansas last month.
“Megan was an invaluable member of our coaching staff who contributed to the Tigers success during her three seasons at LSU,” Girouard said. “As we are saddened to lose Megan, we are overjoyed at the prospect of hiring Kristen. She has already been dynamite on the recruiting trail, her personality is infectious, her work ethic commendable and her loyalty to LSU unquestionable.”
“I’m extremely excited to continue my career at LSU,” Hobbs said. “I have bled purple and gold since the day I arrived on campus as a player six years ago. The opportunity that Coach Girouard has offered me doesn’t go unrecognized in my book. I wouldn’t have been able to be a part of this prestigious program without her and her staff seeing something special in me to think that I could represent this University in an appropriate manner.”
Hobbs will work with the Tiger infield and catchers along with assisting with the hitting aspects of the program. As a student-athlete, Hobbs was awarded the Brad Davis SEC Community Service Scholarship in 2008 for her work with the CHAMPS/Life Skills program and volunteering in the area. She also was a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and the SEC Good Works Team.
Hobbs’ best season as a player came in 2007 during her senior campaign. She batted .283 and belted a career-best eight home runs en route to being selected Most Valuable Player of the Easton Tiger Classic and NCAA Tempe Super Regional All-Tournament Team. The Florida native also currently shares LSU’s career fielding percentage record after having committed just five errors in over 600 changes for a .992 mark.
One of the three team captains, the 2007 squad spent the entire season in the nation’s Top 10 and racked up an impressive 55-12 record. The Tigers notched series wins from both No. 1 Tennessee and No. 2 Alabama during the regular season to win its fourth SEC Western Division crown and fourth SEC Tournament title during the Girouard era.
“Kristen will be a tremendous addition to our coaching staff as she already knows ?The Tiger Way’,” Girouard said. “We look for honesty, integrity, passion, good character and a love for the university. Kristen fills all of these qualities as she has a very bright future as a coach but an even brighter future as a human being.”
Hobbs appeared in 34 games and made 19 starts as a freshman on LSU’s 2004 Women’s College World series squad. The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 2 in the ESPN/USA Softball poll on two separate occasions and turned in a clean sweep of the SEC’s three major league titles (SEC Western Division, SEC Regular Season Championship, SEC Tournament Championship).
Hobbs earned both of her degrees, a bachelor’s degree in mass communications, followed by her master’s degree in sports management from LSU.