Stefanie Walsh is in her sixth year as the Cougars head coach.  She replaced long-time coach Don Bandy, who retired after 20 years of providing dedicated service to the softball program. 

 Stefanie has had a long and successful history in softball herself.   A resident of Ceres, she began playing summer ball at age nine in the Modesto area and continued through her four years at Beyer High School.  She was an all-league second baseman on a section final team her senior year in 1997. She played in the Kiwanis all-star game on the Merced College campus and enrolled at Merced the following week.  After sitting out the 1998 season with a back injury, the result of an automobile accident, she returned to the field for the 1999 and 2000 seasons.  She played every inning of every game at second base during those seasons.  She was instrumental in the success of a team that posted a record of 93-16, while winning consecutive CVC titles and making two final eight appearances in the state playoffs.  Stefanie continued her academic and athletic career on scholarship at New Mexico Highlands University, in Las Vegas New Mexico.  She received a Bachelor’s degree in Health and later a Master’s degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences from NMHU.

 Upon her return to California Stefanie began her teaching and coaching career at her alma mater, Merced College.  As an assistant coach under Steve Cassady, also a 20 year veteran, Stefanie was an infield and first base coach on teams that made the playoffs both the years she coached, 2005 and 2006.  In August of 2006, Stefanie was named the head coach for Taft College.