OKLAHOMA CITY (June 11, 2021) – Shalee Rodriguez, who has spent the past three seasons as Oklahoma Christian's top assistant softball coach, was named Friday as the Eagles' head coach after the departure of former head coach Shanon Hays to NCAA Division I Grand Canyon, OC Athletic Director David Lynn said.

Rodriguez, 26, will take over a program that has established itself among the best in NCAA Division II, one that rose to No. 4 in the Division II coaches' poll by the end of the just-completed season and earned a No. 1 seed in the rugged South Central Regional.

"Shalee has experience at three different private Christian institutions, having played at Oklahoma Baptist and spent time as a graduate assistant at Southern Nazarene before becoming an assistant at OC," Lynn said. "She has impressed everyone she has come into contact with at OC. Her energy and organization are incredible.

"Her ability to communicate, recruit and identify players has helped coach Hays elevate our softball program to elite status in the Lone Star Conference. I look forward to seeing coach Rodriguez put her own stamp on our program and mentor our young women as they navigate being top-notch, Christ-centered student-athletes."

Rodriguez, originally from Newcastle, joined OC's staff in July 2018 and the following spring, OC won a share of the Heartland Conference's regular-season title and the conference tournament and made its first NCAA Division II tournament appearance, knocking off two ranked foes en route to a regional runner-up finish as a No. 8 seed.

OC was 21-5 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and went 38-9 during the 2021 campaign.

At SNU, Rodriguez was part of a staff that guided the Crimson Storm to the Great American Conference postseason tournament title game in 2018.

She started for four seasons as a player at OBU, twice being named as an All-Region performer at the NAIA level for the Bison and twice receiving first-team All-Sooner Athletic Conference honors. She set OBU records for single-season hits (75) and career doubles (51) and led the SAC in stolen bases in 2015 with 26.

During her career, she had 224 hits, including 14 home runs, and 119 RBIs. She graduated from OBU in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and earned her master's degree in sports administration from East Central in 2017.

"First and foremost, I couldn't be more thankful for this opportunity placed in front of me," Rodriguez said. "I am beyond ecstatic to start my head-coaching career at a place like OC. My time with coach Hays has been a huge blessing and I am beyond thankful to have learned under someone as successful as he is.

"Thank you coach Lynn, (Senior Woman Adminstrator) Teresa DeBoard, President DeSteiguer and whomever else was involved in this decision, for believing in me and giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. I am excited to see what is in store for this program, both for the players now and for those to come! OC is Home! 

Hays, only the second head coach in OC softball history, succeeded the program's founder, Tom Heath. In his three seasons with the Eagles, he posted a 99-30 mark, including 40-16 during his debut season when the Eagles captured both the Heartland regular-season and postseason titles.

"Coach Hays is an outstanding coach and Oklahoma Christian was very fortunate to have him lead our program these past three years," Lynn said. "I am grateful for all of his hard work and dedication to making our program first-class in every way."

In 12 seasons as a head coach – two at Lubbock Christian (Texas), five at Texas Tech and two at Colorado Christian before arriving at OC – Hays has a 468-180-5 record. The Grand Canyon position will be his second Division I coaching opportunity.

Grand Canyon is a member of the Western Athletic Conference. There, Hays will replace Ann Pierson, who spent 18 seasons at the university in Phoenix and had been the only head coach in program history. Grand Canyon posted a 19-30 record during the just-completed season.

"Tina and I feel like our time here at OC has been wonderful and a great blessing," Hays said. "The leadership that is in place at OC is incredible. I can't thank David and President deSteiguer enough for the opportunity they've given me. I also am very thankful for Shalee and Madi (Nordyke) and the fantastic work they've done the last three years. And mostly I appreciate the awesome group of girls we have been able to coach these last three years.

"OC will be a power for years to come with this young group and under the leadership of Shalee. She has an incredible reputation already in the LSC and in Oklahoma for being a super recruiter and coach. It will be a seamless transition with her taking over, since she is so well-liked and respected by the players. I'm happy she decided not to take other jobs and kicked me out the door!"