Softball Team Under New Direction; Katori Named Head Coach

NEW PALTZ — Katori begins her first season as Head Coach of the SUNY New Paltz Softball program. Prior to her arrival at New Paltz she spent one season as the varsity softball coach at Matignon High School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Katori spent four years as assistant softball and basketball coach at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She was involved in all aspects of both programs, including recruiting student athletes, player development, fundraising, and travel. Katori was responsible home event game management, scouting, and tape exchange. She was also an assistant director of the Colby Girls Basketball Camp during the summer, managing various aspects of the overnight camp.
Before to her arrival at Colby, Katori was an assistant women’s basketball coach for two years at Plymouth State College. She assisted the softball program for one year at Plymouth State and assisted the Plymouth High School team for one year. While at Plymouth, Katori earned her master’s degree in education and athletic administration.
Katori, after graduating from Nichols College in 1998, spent one year as an assistant basketball and softball coach at Division II Southampton College. She was also an adjunct professor in the physical education department, teaching basketball, aerobic exercise, and weight training.
Katori was a four-year starter in both sports at Nichols College. She earned Female Athlete of the Year honors after her senior year. On the softball diamond, Katori started every game and finished her career with records for at-bats (406), singles (117), runs scored in a season (40), sacrifices in a season (13), and career (42). She earned team most valuable player honors in her final two seasons, and was a two-time Commonwealth Coast Conference All-Star.
She became just the fifth women’s basketball player at Nichols to score 1,000 career points and finished her career third on the all-time scoring list with 1,163 points. Katori holds school records for 3-point shots made in a game (6), 3-point field goal percentage in a game (86%), and 3-point shots made in a career (147). She earned most valuable player honors her sophomore and junior seasons.
Katori was inducted into the Nichols College Athletic Hall of Fame in the Fall of 2005.