University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Welcome Laura Messina as Assistant Coach
9/14/2018 10:30:00 AM | Softball
STORRS, Conn. – UConn softball head coach Jen McIntyre announced the addition of Laura Messina to the Huskies' coaching staff. Messina, who comes to Storrs from Fordham, will work with UConn's pitchers and catchers.
"We are very excited welcome Laura Messina to our softball program," McIntyre said. "Her energy and passion for the sport is evident and we are looking forward to her bringing that tough competitive mindset to our pitching staff. She was an incredibly decorated pitcher and has NCAA postseason experience as a player and a coach. Laura will make an immediate impact on our pitchers and catchers and we are eager to have her work with our student-athletes."
"I am extremely excited to be back in Connecticut and to join the UConn coaching staff," said Messina. "I want to thank Coach Mac, Coach Schoonmaker and the rest of the UConn athletic department for bringing me on board. I believe the future for this program is bright, and I am so excited to be a part of it!"
Messina joined the Fordham coaching staff in September 2017. She helped coach the Rams to the Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Messina worked primarily with the pitchers at Fordham.
Prior to her stint with Fordham, Messina served as a graduate assistant/pitching coach at Rutgers-Newark for two seasons.
Messina graduated from Central Connecticut State in 2015 with a degree in criminology. She helped lead the Blue Devils to the 2013 and 2015 NEC Tournament championships in 2013 and was named tournament MVP in 2013. CCSU made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013 and 2015. Messina served as a team captain in 2014.
Messina was named All-Northeast Conference all four seasons and was selected as the league's Pitcher of the Year in 2014. She set program records in wins (100), strikeouts, innings pitched and complete games. The Marlton, N.J., native led the nation in 2015 with 15 shutouts. In 2015, Messina was named to USA Softball's Top 50 "Watch List" for the Collegiate Player of the Year award.
Messina earned a master's degree in liberal studies from Rutgers University – Newark in 2017.
