As if opponents needed another reason to worry about Canisius College softball.
The Golden Griffins announced today that Al Dirschberger is joining the coaching staff. Dirschberger recently retired as the head softball coach at Niagara where he spent 22 years. While there he earned Coach of the Year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference twice -- in 2000 and 2007. He coached three conference players of the year, three rookies of the year and a total of 36 all-conference players.
"I obviously coached against Al for a long time when he was at Niagara, but we also coached together for three years in the Empire State Games," Canisius head coach Mike Rappl said in a press release from the school. "I am really looking forward to adding him to our staff. He knows the game and he knows the MAAC. I feel this is going to be very, very beneficial to our program here at Canisius."
This past season was difficult for the Griffs, who went 20-30 overall but went 11-5 in the MAAC and earned the third season in the conference tournament for its 21st appearance in 23 years of the MAAC tourney. The Griffs return 10 position players and three pitchers in 2013.
And for those scoring at home, Dirschberger is the third former Niagara head coach to end up at rival Canisius joining Mike McRae (baseball) and Dermot McGrane (men's soccer).
--- Amy Moritz
