Leslie Messina enters her sixth year as head coach of the Texarkana College Bulldogs. Since Coach Messina came to TC in the fall of 2003, the Bulldogs have won four conference championships,
two regional championships, and the team’s first two appearances at the NJCAA National Tournament.
During her career at TC, Coach Messina has coached nine All-Americans, fourteen NFCA All-Midwest Region honorees, four Region XIV Players of the Year, and 29 All-Region selections.
The 2007 season proved to be the most successful in Bulldog Softball history which include a repeat as Region XIV East Conference Champions, Region XIV Champions and a top ten finish at the NJCAA National Tournament.
Coach Messina was also selected the Region XIV Coach of the Year and the National Fastpitch Coaches Assosciation NJCAA Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year. Prior to becoming head coach,
Coach Messina served as the assistant coach for the Bulldogs’ 2004 Region Championship team.
Coach Messina was a catcher and designated hitter for the University of Evansville (Indiana) Purple Aces. While in Evansville, she worked for two years as a hitting and catching instructor for Diamond Sports Academy.
After graduating cum laude in 1999 with majors in exercise science and sports medicine, she earned her master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in coaching from Georgia Southern University.
While she was at GSU, she served on the coaching staffs of the university’s Division I softball team and nationally ranked Division II Armstrong Atlantic State University.
She designed Armstrong Atlantic’s weight training program and coached catchers and outfielders. During her tenure at Armstrong, the Pirates had the highest fielding percentage in the nation and finished the year at No. 21 in the Division II polls.
Coach Messina brings other distinctive credentials to her position with the Bulldogs. She has earned the National Fastpitch Coaches Association designation of One-Star Master Coach.
Since 1999 she has been certified as a strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
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