USF Athletics

Bull Speed Ahead Podcast: Episode 35

July 24, 2020

TAMPA, JULY 24, 2020 – USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly covers important USF Athletics topics and much more. Via his podcast, Kelly will keep fans updated on the latest information regarding athletics and the achievements and happenings involving student-athletes, coaches and staff.

This week's special guest is Ken Eriksen, who announced Friday that he is officially reassuming his role as head coach of USF softball for the 2021 season. Eriksen went on leave for the 2020 season to serve as head coach of Team USA through the "Stand Beside Her Tour" and will still coach USA Softball at the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021.

Important Topics Covered in the Eriksen Interview

• A LOVE FOR BASEBALL: Eriksen shares his excitement about the return of baseball, which provided a fun opportunity for him to watch hours of MLB opening day action on Thursday night. Eriksen grew up in New York following multiple teams and attended his first game at Yankee Stadium when he was 3 years old. Once his family moved to Long Island, Eriksen became a Mets fan who remembers "Tom Terrific" Seaver helping to turn the organization's fortunes around. Eriksen marvels at the long list of stars he watched come through Shea Stadium and gives many other reasons why he fell in love with the game.
• OFFICE TOUR: While recording the podcast on Microsoft Teams, Eriksen takes Kelly on a virtual tour of his home office that's packed with "cool" baseball nostalgia items. Some of Eriksen's prized possessions are pictures of three legendary New York center fielders – Duke Snider, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. Another special photo on the wall is of "Shoeless Joe" Jackson talking with Babe Ruth about hitting. A Bob Feller item reminds Eriksen of the time he met the Hall of Fame pitcher at the Men's Fastpitch World Championship event Eriksen was playing in.
• COACHING INFLUENCES: Eriksen talks about the great influences throughout his life who helped shape his own coaching philosophy. Former USF baseball coach and Major League Hall of Famer Robin Roberts was an outstanding teacher of the game during Eriksen's career as a baseball student-athlete for the Bulls. Eriksen remains a dedicated student of his craft and has picked up valuable tips watching press conference footage of MLB managers, NCAA basketball coaches and leaders of various teams who remain respectful of their sports. "A lot of those press conferences tell you what to do and what not to do, that's for sure," noted Eriksen, who dishes out details on his favorite press conference.
• FROM BASEBALL TO SOFTBALL: Eriksen takes listeners through his career path shift from baseball to softball, with some other interesting jobs along the way. Eriksen got his start in softball during the 1980s as a graduate student who provided hitting instruction to USF softball players. Originally thinking he'd get back to baseball, Eriksen got involved in softball even more playing for Fastpitch teams for years, including the 1991 U.S. Pan American Team that won a silver medal in Santiago de Cuba. In 1988, he was part of a U.S. Select Team that was the first U.S. Team in 30 years that visited Russian-occupied Cuba. An opportunity as a full-time assistant coach for the Bulls paved the way for a plethora of success as the head coach of USF and Team USA. With the Bulls, Eriksen has amassed a 975-502-1 record by way of 16 seasons of over 40 wins, including six seasons with 50-plus wins and a 60-win campaign in 2004. Learn more about Eriksen's storied career HERE.
• BALANCING USF, TEAM USA, 'TEAM ERIKSEN' DUTIES: Eriksen explains why he's very grateful for the cooperation between USF and Team USA, which has allowed him to coach both teams while he also handles "Team Eriksen" family duties. Eriksen was named head coach of the U.S. Olympic Softball Team in May 2019 after being the leader of the U.S. Women's National Team since 2011. He talks about going on leave with USF during the 2020 season while he coached Team USA through the "Stand Beside Her Tour," which began with a game against the Bulls at USF Softball Stadium. The "Stand Beside Her Tour" was supposed to lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games that were rescheduled for July 2021 because of the pandemic. Eriksen commends Jessica Moore and USF's talented coaching staff for guiding the Bulls to a 16-9 record in the shortened 2020 season that was highlighted by wins over No. 12 Tennessee, No. 15 Georgia, and No. 17 Texas Tech.
• ERIKSEN ON THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Eriksen talks about officially reassuming his role as head coach of USF softball for the 2021 season in addition to still coaching USA Softball at the Tokyo Games in July 2021. The 23-year head coach currently ranks 18th in total wins among active DI softball coaches with 975 victories and ranks 22nd in win percentage. Eriksen has coached the Bulls to 14 NCAA tournament appearances, including trips to the Super Regionals in 2006 and the Women's College World Series in 2012. He has led USF to seven conference titles leading up to the 2021 season he's very excited about. Read the official press release about Eriksen's 2021 plans HERE.
• 'TEAM ERIKSEN' REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY: Eriksen spends the final portion of his podcast appearance talking about the importance of remaining focused on his family when he's at home. Eriksen and his wife, Debra, have two daughters. Their oldest daughter, Tatiana, is a Wagner College theater graduate who continues preparing for her career this summer in Massachusetts. Their youngest daughter, Natasha, is currently living at home and plans to head back to Alabama soon for college studies. "It's really cool to see the evolution of this family," Eriksen said. Eriksen credits his wife, also a USF grad, for providing endless support that helps him thrive in the globetrotting job he loves.

 
About USF Softball
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 15 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.