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Phone: 570-577-3553
Heather Rakosik was hired as the fourth head coach in the history of the Bucknell softball program in 2004 and enters her fifth season at the helm in 2009. When hired, Rakosik had just finished leading Ohio Wesleyan to a record-setting season. Led by three all-region performers and the first All-American in program history, the Battling Bishops won a school-record 28 games and captured the North Coast Athletic Conference regular season title for the first time. In three seasons as head coach at OWU, Rakosik's teams improved their record every year, and she compiled a 60-54-1 overall ledger. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Rakosik took over a Bucknell team that went 14-26 overall and 8-12 in the Patriot League in 2004. She helped the Bison increase their win total to 16 in her first season as they qualified for the Patriot League Tournament for the second consecutive year after enduring a three-year hiatus from the postseason. That year Rakosik helped tutor Lauren Wible to a .524 batting average, which led the nation. The 2008 campaign marked the best of Rakosik's tenure at Bucknell. She helped the Bison tie Lafayette for second place in the Patriot League standings and qualify for the Patriot League Tournament. Rakosik was named Patriot League Coach of the Year as the squad posted 23 wins, including a program-record 13 in league play, the fourth-most in program history. The last few years Rakosik has expanded the team's schedule to nearly 50 games in hopes of preparing the team better for Patriot League play. Additionally, she has had the squad begin the season in mid-February, rather than mid-March, as had been the case before her arrival. In addition to her duties as head softball coach at Ohio Wesleyan, Rakosik also served as an instructor in the physical education department as well as assistant women's basketball coach. She helped guide the team to a winning record in each of her three seasons, highlighted by an NCAC championship and NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" appearance in 2002. Prior to her tenure at Ohio Wesleyan, Rakosik served as head softball coach and assistant women's basketball coach at Hiram College. There, she led the diamond squad to its best overall record in 11 years. Rakosik is a 1998 graduate of Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. She graduated cum laude with a degree in health and physical education, as well as a K-12 teaching certificate. She also gained valuable athletics experience working as an assistant in the sports information office as well as with the women's athletic director. As a student-athlete, Rakosik starred in both basketball and softball. On the hardwood she was a 1,000-point scorer (1,378) who broke school records for points (37) and 3-pointers (8) made in a game. She was a First Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection in softball and the recipient of the OAC Clyde A. Lamb Scholar-Athlete Award. Rakosik went on to earn a master's degree in education from Defiance (Ohio) College in 2000. While at Defiance, Rakosik also served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with the women's basketball program, helping to guide the team to a 22-5 record and a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association title. As the head junior varsity coach, she led her team to a 14-3 record. At Bucknell, Rakosik has won nearly 69 games in her first four seasons and stands second on the Bison career wins list behind only longtime Bison mentor Terrie Grieb. During her first three years at the helm of the Bison, Rakosik has tutored a pair of players (Lauren Litts and Lauren Wible) who have each garnered First Team All-Patriot League plaudits twice. Additionally, three other players have earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors. This past year a league-high six Bison earned All-Patriot League honors, while freshman Lauren Fry became Bucknell's first-ever Patriot League Rookie of the Year. |
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