Larabee to coach USA Futures Team

FAYETTEVILLE— University of Arkansas head softball coach Mike Larabee was named an assistant coach for the USA Futures National team, the Amateur Softball Association of America and USA Softball announced on Friday.

“I always think it is great when you have the opportunity to represent your country as a player or a coach,” Larabee said. “It is a high honor and I am very thankful to USA National Team coach Jay Miller and USA Softball for giving me the opportunity to serve as an assistant coach for the USA Futures National team. I have had some great experiences as a member of the USA Women’s National Team Coaching Pool and I am looking forward to a great summer.”

Kate Drohan, head coach at Northwestern, will serve as head coach of the USA Futures National Team, marking her first time as a coach in the USA Softball program. Larabee and Jamie Pinkerton, assistant coach at Iowa State, will serve as assistants for the Futures Team. The Futures National Team will compete in Ohio against the National Team and at the World Cup of Softball.

The rosters for both the Futures National Team and Junior Women’s Qualifier team will be announced at a later date.

Larabee is a three-time member of the USA Women’s National Team Coaching Pool. Last year, Larabee was an assistant coach on the gold-medal winning USA Softball Pan American Qualifier Team in Maracay, Venezuela. He was also selected to the staff for both the 2005-08 and 2009-12 Olympic Quadrenniums. In past duties with the National Team, Larabee has served on the selection camp committee and coaching staff at the 2006 World University Games in Taiwan.

In their first year under Larabee, the Razorbacks are 24-12 with an 8-2 mark in conference play.