Ventoza, former NCAA champion, hopes to rebuild Stanislaus softball
The Cal State Stanislaus softball team has not reached the NCAA Division II tournament since 2009. With that in mind, the Warriors have selected a former NCAA champion to lead them.
Jessica Ventoza, a member of the 2009 NCAA champion Washington Huskies, has become the eighth softball coach in the history of the Stanislaus program. She will succeed Jan Schefkowitz, a Warriors coach for 23 years, who announced her retirement in April.
“I am honored to be the head coach at Stanislaus. I’m thankful for the opportunity that Mr. (Michael) Matoso and the administration has entrusted me with,” Ventoza said. “I am looking forward to positively impacting this program on and off the field.”
Ventoza was a senior infielder for the 2009 Huskies and was a two-time letter-winner. Before her time at Washington, she was a two-time all-region all-star at Western Community College in Scottsbluff, Nev., and at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash.
“I am excited that Jessica Ventoza has accepted our softball head-coach position,” said Matoso, Stanislaus’ athletic director. “Jessica played at the highest level as a student-athlete and has transitioned into building a very successful Division II program as an assistant coach.”
Ventoza served as the first assistant coach to Amy Suiter at Western Washington. During those two seasons, the Vikings went 53-37 and – this year – advanced to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship before finishing 30-14 record.
She started her coaching career at Decatur High and directed the Federal Way Mosquito Select Team for three seasons (2011-13).
Ventoza hopes to return Stanislaus to national prominence. The 2007 Warriors won a school-record 50 games, captured the NCAA West Regional title and were ranked sixth in the nation. A year later, Stanislaus won the California Collegiate Athletic Association title.
The Warriors advanced to the NCAA tournament six times under Schefkowitz.
This story was originally published June 17, 2015 at 7:46 PM with the headline "Ventoza, former NCAA champion, hopes to rebuild Stanislaus softball."