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Softball
Missy Dickerson takes over as the head coach of Ole Miss Softball after leading Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to a 42-11 record in 2005 and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Dickerson is the third head coach in program history, following Joyce Maudie's two-year run (1997-98) and a seven-year stint by Candi Letts (1999-2004).
"We're excited about Missy Dickerson joining our staff here at Ole Miss," said Senior Associate Athletics Director Lynnette Johnson. "It became clear early in the search that as one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the nation, she was the perfect fit to lead our program where we want to go. Having been a member of a national championship program and her experience in leading three teams to conference championships, we feel she has the experience and knowledge to take our program to the same heights.
"Missy has the work ethic, drive and enthusiasm to make Rebel softball a competitive force nationally," Johnson said. "She had a great working knowledge of the Ole Miss softball program when she stepped on campus to visit, and she had a great enthusiasm for what she saw here and where she wanted to go with Ole Miss Softball."
A softball standout at UCLA from 1988-91, Dickerson took over the helm of the Texas A&M-C.C. program in 2002 and led the Islanders to three straight NCAA Tournament berths and three straight Big South Conference Championships (2003-2005).
During her tenure at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Dickerson led the Islanders to a tremendous turn-around as she took them to a 112-56 record in her three seasons. Prior to her arrival, the Islanders had an overall record of 74-106-1.
As the head coach of the Islanders, Dickerson coached eight first team All-Big South selections, a Freshman of the Year selection, and a three-time Pitcher of the Year selection. Dickerson also developed two All-Region selections and a third team All-America selection this past season.
Prior to her arrival in Corpus Christi, Dickerson served as an assistant coach with San Jose State for the 2001 and 2002 seasons, working with the Spartans infield defense and overall offense.
She served as an assistant coach at Indiana State for the 2000 season.
"I'm extremely excited about this opportunity to be a part of a university like Ole Miss with so much tradition and history," Dickerson said. "To be a part of the Southeastern Conference, a conference that has made tremendous strides on a national scale so quickly, is great. My feet haven't touched the ground. I don't know that I can describe in words how I feel about being the next coach at Ole Miss.
"First and foremost, my goal is to come in and evaluate the program and be able to make Ole Miss a contender in the SEC West and a perennial power in the Southeastern Conference. When we do that, we'll become a player on the national landscape and be moving toward our ultimate goal of a national championship at Ole Miss."
As a player, Dickerson was a part of history at UCLA, helping lead the Bruins to three straight national championships from 1988-90. No other team has claimed back-to-back-to-back national titles in softball. The Bruins finished as national runners-up in 1991, Dickerson's senior season.
"Being part of a national championship program allows you the opportunity to take away a sense of what a program needs to reach that caliber of softball," Dickerson said. "Being a part of a team that has accomplished its goals at the highest level helps build confidence and gives a strong sense of what it takes to get there again."
Dickerson was a key component of the Bruin run during her career as she earned All-Pac-10 honors three times and was named an All-America selection as a senior in 1991. She also was named to the All-Women's College World Series Team in 1988 and 1989.
Dickerson still holds several spots in the UCLA record book, most of them coming during her senior campaign. The infielder is in the top 20 all-time at UCLA in games played (221), at bats (611), doubles (29) and triples (12).
Following her stellar collegiate career, the Southern California native spent one season as an assistant at Oklahoma, followed by a stint as an event coordinator for The Sport Foundation in Norman, Okla., and a term as the Director of Operations for the Johnson County Girl's Athletic Association.
A 1992 graduate of UCLA with a bachelor's degree in political science, Dickerson lives in Oxford with her husband, Tom, and their 2-year-old son, Trevor.
Dickerson's Coaching File
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