UNLV hires Texas-Arlington coach to run softball program

UNLV hired Texas-Arlington coach Kristie Fox on Thursday as its softball coach.

Fox went 134-137 at Arlington, including 32-28 last season when the school made its first postseason appearance since 2003. The victory total was the program’s highest in six years.

“It was evident in our research and through my conversations with Kristie that she would be a top candidate for this position,” UNLV athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said. “She is a rising star in the coaching ranks who made an immediate impact when she took over the program at UT Arlington. Kristie is a competitor who cares passionately about developing her student-athletes as championship softball players and preparing them for life after athletics.

“With her head-coaching experience, building a program, her ties to the region and having competed at the highest levels herself — winning national championships at Arizona — we are confident that she will help lead Rebel softball to national prominence.”

Fox, 31, takes over a UNLV program that hasn’t posted a winning record since going 27-18 in 2011. She replaces Lisa Dodd, who resigned in June after five seasons as coach.

“Desiree has a great vision, and in a short amount of time has shown tremendous leadership for UNLV, and I am excited to be a part of that,” Fox said. “Everyone I have met at the school demonstrated great passion and ambition, and it is the type of environment I know our student-athletes will thrive in. I am looking forward to meeting the student-athletes and getting to work in creating a culture of excellence, passion and commitment in all we do.”

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Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.