Sea Kings hire softball coach

Barry Faulkner

Nichole Thompson, a former standout at Arizona State University and

Woodbridge High, has been named softball coach at Corona del Mar

High, Sea Kings girls athletic director Dawn Payne announced

Thursday.

Thompson, 23, replaces co-coaches Racie Giffen and Ed Mejia, who

stepped down after guiding the Sea Kings to their third straight CIF

Southern Section playoff appearance last spring.

Thompson, a walk-on, was twice second-team All-Pac 10 for ASU,

where she ranks among the school’s career leaders in hits (second

with 252), batting average (eighth at .333) and RBIs (11th with 80).

She also was an outfielder on one of two U.S. national teams in 2001

and 2003.

She was a two-time All-CIF second baseman at Woodbridge, helping

the Warriors win back-to-back Division II section titles in 1997 and

‘98.

This is her first high school coaching position, though she has

offered individual lessons and clinics.

Thompson, an Amateur Softball Association All-American in 2000 as

a member of the Phoenix Storm, inherits a team that finished 10-11

last season, but lost All-Newport-Mesa Dream Team performers Alissa

Zoelle (now at Fresno State) and Amy Tyson (UC Davis) to graduation.

“I’m excited to get into a program and try to build a program,”

said Thompson, who made a long-term commitment to CdM.

“I want to share my experience,” added Thompson, who also plans to

emphasize discipline and fundamentals.