FORT MYERS, Fla. – Head coach David Deiros announced the additions of Mollie Hanson and former Eagle standout Natalie Lopez to the coaching staff Friday afternoon.

Hanson has spent the last four seasons as Mercer's pitching coach while Lopez, has had a coaching stop with the Boca Raton High School softball varsity squad, and most recently completed an internship with OMNI Athletic Performance and Recovery Center.

Hanson joined the Mercer coaching staff following the 2017 season and immediately helped make an impact. The 2018 season saw the Bears' pitching staff post the lowest ERA (3.02) since 2014 as they recorded 33 wins with 254 strikeouts while holding opposing batters to a .228 average. Under her tutelage, three pitchers were named to the All-SoCon list.

Prior to Mercer, Hanson's name can be found scattered all over the Samford record book where she pitched from 2013-16. After leading the Bulldogs with a team-low ERA (1.76) her freshman year, Hanson went on to earn All-SoCon First Team and Second Team honors in 2014, 2015, respectively. Her final season in 2016 proved to be one of the best yet. She was the SoCon Pitcher of the Year and tournament's MVP while being named to the NFCA South Region Third Team. Hanson is Samford's all-time leader in wins (72), and second in innings pitched (690.1), strikeouts (548) while her career ERA of 2.30 sits fifth all-time.  

"I am thankful to Coach Deiros for the opportunity to join the FGCU softball family," said Hanson. "I'm excited to meet the team and ready to begin this new journey as an Eagle!"

Deiros on Hanson: "Mollie's resume as a pitcher then coach, speaks for itself. She has been very successful at every juncture in her career. With 99 percent of our innings graduating after last season, I am confident that her demeanor and expertise will pay immediate dividends with our very young pitching staff."

Lopez donned the Green and Blue from 2014-18. Upon graduation, the Miami native enrolled in FAU's Exercise Science and Health promotions master's program where she is expected to graduate in August. During this time, she's served as an assistant coach for the Boca Raton High varsity softball team, assisting in teams drills, running practices, and coordinating game plans with the head coach. In her most recent internship with OMNI Athletic Performance, Lopez worked with athletes to create programs tailored to their specific needs, demonstrating corrective exercises, movements, and strength training regimens.
 
During her time as an Eagle, Lopez accumulated 141 starts in 175 games, becoming a staple in center field. She left The Nest with a .323 career batting average, appearing in at least 50 games from 2015-17 until a knee injury in 2018 limited her to 16 games, where she batted .381. Always a threat on the base pads, Lopez swiped a career-high 20 bases in 2017 as she finished her career with 42, which ranks 10th all-time in FGCU history. In 2018, the FGCU Department of Athletics awarded Lopez with the Duane Swanson Sr., Inspirational award - an honor bestowed upon individuals who display perseverance, dedication, and determination when confronted with a life-altering event, while serving as a role model and inspiration to others.

"I'm really excited to be coming back to FGCU in a different role and thankful for the opportunity Coach Deiros has given me," Lopez said. "I'm hoping to bring a lot of passion and fun while continuing to help build the program!"

Deiros on Lopez: "I vividly remember sitting across from Nat and her parents, Jose and Maureen, back in 2012 and telling them that she was destined to be a great leader for us. Fast forward nine years and I feel the exact same way about her in this role. Her energy and enthusiasm are unmatched and our players will love working with her."

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information on the FGCU softball program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_Softball and Instagram at fgcusoftball and stay tuned at FGCUAthletics.com.

COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros is in his 20th season as head coach entering the fall of 2021. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 689-364-3 (.654), going 162-93 (.632) in the ASUN, having 14 seasons with a winning record, and nine campaigns with 35 wins. Deiros is a former head coach at the 1998 Florida State Runner-up Lely High School in Naples and is the founding head coach of the 1999 District Champion/2001 Regional Runner-up Gulf Coast High School in Naples.

E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 85 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 42 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 21, 2020-21), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2021) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 23 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall, 2020 Spring, and 2020 Fall semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM—