Laura Messina is in her first season as a member of the Rutgers University-Newark softball coaching staff.
A graduate of Central Connecticut State University in May of 2015, Messina will assist in all aspects of the Scarlet Raider program.
“I’m thrilled to have Laura join the Rutgers-Newark softball coaching staff,” said Hunt. “Laura was a game-changing student-athlete and played with such passion on the field. She had an amazing college career and I’m excited to see her excel as a college coach.”
Messina was a standout at CCSU in New Britain, Conn., earning 2014 Northeast Conference Pitcher of the Year honors and earning all-conference accoldades each year in a career that netted her 100 wins. A 15-time NEC Pitcher of the Week honoree, Messina owns Blue Devil records for wins, strikeouts, innings pitched and complete games, remarkably setting most of those marks as a sophomore. She was twice named All-ECAC (2013 and 2015) and led the nation in 2015 with 15 shutouts.
The Marlton, N.J. native and Central Catholic High School graduate led her 2013 and 2015 teams to the NCAA Tournament, squaring off the University of Georgia, University of North Carolina (UNC), Louisiana State University (LSU) and Northwestern State University.
As a coach, Messina has been giving pitching lessons since 2011, providing instruction, mentoring and coaching to student-athletes in skills, technique and competitive strategy. She coached with the East Coast Mavericks, organizing practices focused on skills and strength and conditioning in addition to working with the team’s pitching staff. Messina also spent time as a coach with the Marlton Thunder, playing a similar role with that program.
Messina will be pursuing a Master’s Degree from Rutgers-Newark.
