Monticello Live

Kyle Lem, interim UAM Softball Head Coach during the 2019, has been named the full-time Head Softball Coach of the Cotton Blossoms announced Padraic McMeel, Director of Athletics. Kyle Lem was named interim softball in July 2018 and lead the Cotton Blossoms to a 25-27 overall record during the 2019 campaign.

Lem was named UAM’s first-ever full-time assistant softball coach in August of 2015 after serving for one season as the team’s graduate assistant. He assisted Early in all phases of the program – serving as recruiting coordinator, organizing campus visits and recruiting events. He also worked with UAM pitchers and was responsible for in-game pitch calling.

“I am thrilled that Kyle has accepted our offer

to serve as the full-time Head Coach for our Softball program. Kyle took over the softball program during a very difficult time for the program, as well as the Athletics Department, to maintain the continuity of the program during Coach Early’s illness and untimely passing and into a new softball season in 2018-19.” said Director of Athletics Padraic McMeel.

“As I evaluated the program, it was important to truly understand the storied history of UAM Softball and what Coach Early was able to do to build this program. During the season, I saw how Kyle worked with our young women to not only be the best softball players they could be but more importantly to me, the best young women they can be socially and academically. Kyle’s understanding of our history along with a fresh softball perspective will get UAM Softball back on top of the GAC and throughout the country. I am so excited that Kyle, Amanda, Asher and Tucker will continue being part of the UAM family.”

“I am extremely excited and grateful to C

hancellor Hughes, Athletic Director McMeel, and everyone at UAM who helped me earn this opportunity as well as supported us this season,” “Everyone said that whomever followed Coach Early had huge shoes to fill and they are correct. I do not want to fill his shoes because there was only one Coach Early, but I will continue to walk the path of excellence that he paved along with those great teams of Blossoms that he coached. I will forever be thankful to Coach Early for recruiting me to Monticello and giving me an opportunity to learn from him. I look forward to the challenge of restoring the shine to a program that is rich in tradition of winning not on only on the field, but in the classroom as well.”

Prior to becoming a graduate assistant at U

AM, Lem was a coach and a teacher in the Arkansas public schools system from 2007-14 at Glen Rose, Monticello, Lavaca and Mansfield. During his career as a head softball coach at Glen Rose and Mansfield, he compiled a 59-29-1 record with three conference championships, one regional championship, two seasons as regional runner-up, one season as district tournament champions and two seasons as a state tournament quarterfinalist. He led Glen Rose High School to undefeated conference championships in 2009 and 2011. Lem was named the Arkansas 3A-5 Softball Coach of the Year in 2011 and was selected to coach in the AHSAA All-Star game in 2009. While earning a pair of degrees from Great American Conference member Henderson State University, Lem was a four-year letterman for the Reddies baseball team and a four-time member of the Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2005 and a master’s degree in sports administration in 2007 while serving as the Graduate Assistant for HSU Softball.

Lem and his wife of eleven years, Amanda, have two sons – Asher (8) and Tucker (5)

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