Stacy Birk is in her second season as assistant softball coach.
University at Albany's head softball coach Chris Cannata announced on Wednesday, Aug. 24 the hiring of Stacy Birk as assistant coach. Birk, an all-conference pitcher as a collegian, has coached on the college and high school levels.
Birk comes to UAlbany after spending last season as an assistant coach at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. Army finished 28-25 overall and had three players chosen to the All-Patriot League team. While with the Black Knights, Birk was responsible for the instruction of the pitching staff, including planning and executing all pitching workouts, video breakdown and analysis and assistance in the decision of starting pitchers. She also assisted in planning and execution of practices, including hitting workouts, bunting and live hitting. Birk planned all team travel, along with creating scouting reports, managing equipment and alumni outreach, updating social media and participated in all recruiting activities.
Prior to West Point, Birk served as an assistant coach at Lake Land College in Illinois, where she served as a pitching coach. She also fulfilled all other assistant coaching duties, including monitoring study hall and creating strength and conditioning workouts. Birk also served as the pitching coach at Normal West High School in Illinois in 2008-09. Along with serving as the high school coach, she instructed elementary and junior high school pitchers at winter clinics.
A 2007 graduate of Illinois State University, Birk earned a B.S. in graphic communications before earning a master's degree in project management two years later. She was a three-time Missouri Valley All-Conference pitcher, and was the MVC's Rookie of the Year in 2004. Birk also played for two seasons with the Philadelphia Force of the National Pro Fastpitch professional league.
