During her 16 seasons at ASU, softball coach Linda Wells brought national recognition and respect to the program while teaching her players skills to succeed both on and off the field.
Her collegiate coaching days might have ended with ASU's 2-1 NCAA Regional loss to Hofstra on May 21, but her days of teaching have not.
Wells, who coached the Greek National Team in Athens last summer, plans to continue in that capacity. She also plans on instructing young players in camps throughout the world.
But that doesn't make retiring any easier.
"I'm kind of happy one minute and sad the next," Wells said. "It's been a 35-year routine and career. I will probably stay in touch with many of the players and play a small part in their careers. I will always kind of have a coach relationship with them."
Wells won a school record 563 games at ASU and guided the Sun Devils to a seventh-place finish in the 1999 Women's College World Series and a third place finish in 2002. She has 914 career victories, ninth all-time.
While ASU failed to advance out of Regionals this season, Wells arguably saved one of her finest coaching performances for last.
The Sun Devils went 30-26 while battling injuries, inexperience and one of the nation's most difficult schedules.
"I really thought that this team met the challenge of the competition," Wells said. "We kept trying and fighting."
Sophomore second baseman Kristin Crenshaw went down with a knee injury during the first series of the season and only saw action in 19 games, mainly in limited pinch-hitting duty.
Freshman utility infielder Mindy Cowles, ASU's main offensive threat, sat out the team's final 13 games with a similar injury, leaving the Sun Devils with just 10 healthy players.
Outfielder Valerie Sevilla was ASU's lone senior, and nine players were in their first or second season on the team.
To make matters even more difficult, all eight Pac-10 schools qualified for postseason play, giving each Pac-10 conference game a postseason feel throughout the regular season. The Sun Devils also faced several elite programs in tournaments during the non-conference schedule.
Wells said the season's difficulties were overshadowed by the enjoyment she experienced in the dugout.
"Not only did I have fun coaching another season, I had fun with all of the people from the past who came out to a game, whether they were alumni or friends who recognized my retirement," Wells said. "It was fun for me personally and professionally to be having a good time at the ball park."
Wells said that one of her most treasured moments of the season came during the National Invitational Tournament in Sunnyvale, Calif.
ASU went 5-0 in the tournament -- held March 11-13 -- defeating second-ranked Cal, 1-0, in the championship game on a home run by sophomore first baseman Sharee Zaleski in the fifth inning. In a complete game effort in the circle, freshman lefthander Katie Burkhart only allowed two hits.
But there were other memorable games during the year as well.
The Sun Devils also had strong non-conference showings in the Kia Klassic and Palm Springs Classic tournaments, while working their way to a season-best No. 17 national ranking.
Despite ASU only winning four of 21 conference games, there were some positives in Pac-10 play. The Sun Devils sprung upsets against national powers Stanford, Cal, Oregon and Oregon State.
In the final game of the regular season, Zaleski again provided the difference against Cal with a two-run home run, helping ASU secure a postseason berth.
"We didn't pick up as many Pac-10 victories as we would have liked," Wells said. "But, I was so proud that we got into Regionals. It was very rewarding to end my career in a postseason tournament."
Cowles led ASU with a .315 average at the plate and was named to the Pac-10 second-team. Zaleski, Burkhart and sophomore catcher Heidi Knabe all received All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors.
Wells said that other players -- she noted junior utility player Ashley Werschky, freshman shortstop Rhiannon Baca and junior utility player Kim Zadrozny -- also helped her final season to be one she would never forget.
"Werschky was so valuable," Wells said. "She just did everything for us this season. She has so much heart as a player.
"Baca came in and held down the shortstop position. And Zadrozny was so unsung and yet she made so many contributions."
Wells said that bigger and better things awaited ASU after her departure.
"It looks very bright," Wells said. "I feel good about whoever comes in and their chances to take the team back to a regional and into the College World Series. I'm trying to ready things for them so they can easily be up to speed, making the transition as smooth as possible."
Reach the reporter at jeremy.a.cluff@asu.edu.
