Dobson Named Head Coach at USM

June 27, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. -

Oklahoma softball assistant Howard Dobson has been named the head coach at Southern Miss, announced Athletics Director Richard Giannini on Wednesday. Dobson has spent the last five years as an assistant at Oklahoma under head coach Patty Gasso.

"Howard has done a tremendous job at OU and this is an incredible opportunity, both professionally and personally," Gasso said. "Southern Miss is not only getting a great coach, but an incredible friend and person on and off the field. We wish him and his family the best of luck and everybody in Oklahoma will be rooting for him every step of the way."

Dobson's five-year span at Oklahoma saw the Sooners advance to a pair of Women's College Series, win four NCAA Regional Championships as well as a Big 12 Tournament Championship in 2007. Under Dobson's direction as the hitting coach, Oklahoma topped the Big 12 conference in scoring all five years of his tenure and finished the last three seasons in the top 10 in the country in batting average.

Dobson coached 12 players to All-America honors and worked with 20 NFCA All-Midwest Region performers and 26 All-Big 12 players during his five-year stint with the Sooners.

"We are extremely excited to have Howard Dobson join our staff," Giannini said. "His experience is outstanding on all levels of collegiate softball, and it is a real plus that he has coached for Conference USA. As the head recruiter and hitting coach at perennial collegiate power Oklahoma, it speaks volumes for his abilities. He will have a great impact on our softball program as well as our community."

Southern Miss Announces Dobson as Head Coach

This marks Dobson's first head collegiate coaching job after serving as an assistant for the past 11 years at Oklahoma (2003-07), Houston (2001-02), Southeastern Louisiana (1998-2000) and McNeese State (1997-1998).

A former all-conference performer at Panola Junior College, Dobson went on to finish his collegiate baseball career at McNeese State where he graduated with a degree in health and human performance and English in 1997.

Dobson becomes the second straight Oklahoma assistant to move on to a head coaching position. Former assistant Tim Walton (1999-2002) became the head coach at Wichita State in 2003 and has served in the same capacity at the University of Florida the last two seasons.

Dobson becomes the fifth head coach for the Southern Miss softball program.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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