Letty Olivarez is entering her first season with the Sun Devils and will serve as the pitching coach in addition to her duties as co-interim head coach for the 2015-16 season.
Olivarez spent the past season at CSUN, helping lead the Matadors to an NCAA Tournament appearance while coaching Zoe Conley to one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in Matador history.
"I am very thankful for this opportunity to become part of the Arizona State University family. It is every little girl's dream to be a member of such a successful softball program.” Olivarez said. “I am extremely excited to be able to work with Coach Robert Wagner as his knowledge of the game is extensive. I look forward to help contributing to the continued success of our student-athletes both on and off the field and I cannot wait to experience softball as a Sun Devil.”
Under the guidance of Olivarez, Conley was the first CSUN pitcher to earn First Team NFCA All-West Region honors since Amy Windmiller received the honors in the 1994 season. Conley also was the Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year and earned First Team All-Big West honors.
Conley finished the season at 19-7 with a 1.84 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 156.1 innings of work. She won three Big West Pitcher of the Week honors and was named one of 25 finalists for the NFCA Freshman of the Year.
In total, the CSUN pitchers posted an impressive 2.42 team ERA under Olivarez, good for the 24th best tally in the country.
Originally from Northern California, Olivarez played her collegiate softball for the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference. She excelled both in the circle and at the plate, earning Third Team All-Big Ten Honors after her senior season.
Following her graduation, she remained with Wisconsin as a student assistant coach and then spent three years as an assistant coach, two as a volunteer, at Stanford with former Cardinal head coach John Rittman. Stanford made two NCAA Tournaments in Olivarez's three seasons on the Farm.
In her second season at Stanford as a volunteer coach with the pitchers, Stanford posted a combined 2.76 ERA and a 39-21 record (13-11 Pac-12) en route to an appearance in the 2013 NCAA Tournament
She worked with Teagan Gerhart, sister of current Sun Devil baseball and football student-athlete Coltin Gerhart, led the ace to a 21-13 record and a team-leading 2.58 ERA in the potent Pac-12 Conference. She earned All-Pac-12 and NFCA All-West Region honors in her career and finished in the top 10 in several Cardinal pitching categories.
In one season as the pitching coach, the Stanford lineup battled significant injuries throughout the season but true freshman Madi Schreyer shouldered the workhorse load with 242.1 innings pitched and was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team and also earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention accolades.
Olivarez will join the Sun Devils in Tempe along with her boyfriend, former third baseman for the Seattle Mariners Triple A affiliate team, Jim Davenport.