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05/15/2012 CSU's Fisher, McCarthy earn top Mountain West honorsFour other Rams named to all-conference team 05/11/2012 Softball recap: Rams sweep Lobos, finish second in MWCSU concludes 2012 season with highest conference finish since 2004 05/10/2012 CSU softball announces schedule change for final series vs. New MexicoRams, Lobos to play double header Thursday, one game Friday 05/02/2012 Softball recap: CSU defeats Northern Colorado in final 2012 non-conference gameRams complete four-game sweep of season series 04/29/2012 Softball recap: Rams complete three-game sweep of RebelsCSU notches fifth conference win of 2012 Jen Fisher enters her second season at the helm of the softball program of Colorado State, her alma mater. Coming off a 2010 season at Denver's Metropolitan State College in which she earned NCAA Division II Coach of the Year honors, Fisher began her CSU career with a 2011 squad comprised of two seniors, four sophomores, three juniors and 10 freshmen. The young team finished the season with an 8-43 record, which the program will look to build upon in 2012. A native of Fort Collins, Fisher attended Rocky Mountain High School, where she starred for the Lobos in softball, basketball and tennis, and was selected as the school's female athlete of the year as a senior in 1990. She followed her outstanding prep career by playing softball collegiately at Creighton for one season before transferring to Colorado School of Mines, where she played shortstop and was the Orediggers' team captain in 1994. At the conclusion of her playing career, Fisher returned home to Fort Collins, enrolling at Colorado State, where her father, Wayne Schubert, has been a professor in the university's world-renowned atmospheric sciences program since 1973. Fisher completed her bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1997, while also earning her secondary teaching license. During that time, Fisher began to establish her coaching roots firmly within the community. From 1994-98, she coached the Fort Collins Buckaroos softball club, spending four seasons with the program. Fisher also spent three seasons as a developmental coach at Poudre High School before embarking on her collegiate coaching career at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colo. While at OJC (1998-2006), Fisher amassed an impressive record of 355-119 and won seven consecutive Region IX championships and Coach of the Year awards. Fisher's Rattlers squads averaged more than 43 victories per season. She mentored seven NJCAA All-Americans and guided 13 more student-athletes to academic All-America status. Fisher left OJC to resurrect a Metro State program that was slated to resume competition in 2008 after being disbanded in 1990. Using her consistent approach to the game, Fisher's winning ways continued immediately as the head coach of the Roadrunners. In three seasons at the NCAA Division II level, Fisher guided the program from infancy to 125 wins, while surrendering just 36 ballgames. And Fisher wasted little time in putting the Roadrunners' program on the national map as well. In 2008, Metro State's first season of competition, Fisher posted a record of 32-18 (26-11 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference), laying the foundation for the next two seasons, which would feature back-to-back postseason appearances. The squad ranked first in the DII national standings in doubles per game (2.06) with 103 total, first in home runs per game (1.58) with 79 total, and second in slugging percentage (.573). Metro's 2009 squad went 40-12 (29-7 RMAC) behind the guidance of Fisher, the conference Coach of the Year. The team again ranked first in the national standings in home runs per game (1.88) with a DII record-tying 98 total and first in slugging percentage (.636). Fisher led the Roadrunners to the RMAC regular-season and tournament championships, earning an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. Just when the Roadrunners appeared to have reached the pinnacle of their success, Fisher took her squad to new heights. In 2010 the team took the nation by storm, posting a record of 53-6 (37-2 RMAC), earning back-to-back regular-season and tournament conference titles. The squad ranked first nationally in home runs per game (1.9) for the third straight year with 112 total, breaking its own record from 2009. The Roadrunners also ranked first in slugging percentage (.610) for the second straight year and second in winning percentage (.898). Part of that team was Wheat Ridge, Colo. native Tara Mickelson, whom Fisher coached to a DII-leading 25-homer season. Fisher once again was named league Coach of the Year, and following a run to the NCAA Central Region title and a College World Series berth, Fisher captured CaptainU National Coach of the Year honors while her staff was tabbed as the NFCA Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year. While there were plenty of victories to go around, Fisher did more than just pile up wins at Metro State. Encouraging a strong academic base and civic involvement to help her players become winners on and off the diamond, Fisher established an off-the-field partnership with the Denver West High School softball team. The Roadrunners helped the girls with life skills, as well as academic and personal pressures. For their efforts, the Metro State squad received a community engagement award from the NCAA. Fisher was officially announced as the Rams head coach on Aug. 20, 2010.She and her husband, Joe, a former CSU baseball player, have a son, Garrett Wayne, who will turn 11 in October. |
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