ITHACA, N.Y. - Former Alabama softball infielder Marisa Runyon has joined the Cornell softball staff. Runyon joins after three coaching stints, coming at Carolina Forest High School, Lynn University, and Tennessee Tech, respectively.
"I cannot thank Coach Tembey enough for taking a chance on me, and bringing me aboard. Her vision for the program and her commitment to excellence through a strong culture was obvious in my first conversation with her. I truly believe the best is yet to come with this program and I am so excited to get to work.", Runyon expressed.
Runyon, a Dryden New York-native, began her coaching career in 2017 at Carolina Forest High School, where she spent two years at her alma mater focusing on doing private lessons with student-athletes alongside coaching. Her first season there she served as an assistant, and was promoted to the head coaching role for her second campaign.
Runyon's next stop was at Lynn University in 2019-20 where the program was met with adversity amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, when the season was cut short. That led Runyon to her time at Tennessee Tech where she spent the 2020-21 season as apart of the Golden Eagles staff.
Since her last coaching stop in 2021, Runyon has had the urge to return to the softball coaching ranks, leading her to Cornell. "I actually grew up in Dryden, NY. So not too far from Ithaca and it's truly where my heart is. I moved back here a year ago knowing it's the place I'm meant to be!", Runyon emphasized.
During her playing career, she was a standout and played a vital role in the success of the Alabama Crimson Tide. She helped lead her team to the 2014 SEC Regular Season Championship and made three trips to the Women's College World Series. In 2015, she earned NFCA Third Team All-American honors, was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team and Second Team All-SEC, and posted one of the best offensive seasons in school history with 19 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .770 slugging percentage. She finished her career ranked in the top 11 in school history in both home runs (36) and RBIs (168).
"I am incredibly thrilled and humbled to be part of this Cornell family. There is a special sense of pride that comes with this opportunity, being back in the area I have always called home. This is my true passion and I very much look forward to helping our student-athletes reach their full potential both on and off the field.", Runyon concluded with.
