Ajaye Pope Named Softball Coach at Coppin
State
September 22, 2006
BALTIMORE, Md. Ajaye Pope has been elevated
from assistant coach to head coach of the Coppin
State softball program.
 Pope spent the past two seasons as an assistant
coach under Marcie Hickey who was named the
head coach at Vermont in August.
"It was important to hire an individual
who is familiar with our softball program and
Coppin State University," said Wanza. "Ajaye
not only coached at Coppin State, but she played
here as well. I feel she will be a valuable
addition to the athletic staff and will continue
to develop the softball program." Pope,
24, was a four-year letterwinner at Coppin
State from 2001-04 and was an instrumental
part of the most successful four-year span
in Eagles history. CSU posted 39 Mid-Eastern
Athletic Conference victories during her tenure,
which included a school-record 12 conference
wins in both the 2004 and 2003 seasons.
She holds the school record with 69 complete
games and picked up 17 victories during her
four years. She won five games in a season
on three separate occasions and posted a career-best
3.93 earned run average during her senior season.
"I accepted the position because of the
relationships, and genuine care, I have for
the members of the team and for the institution," said
Pope. "I want to see each and every member
of the team be successful both on and off the
field." Pope understands, and accepts,
the challenges that lie ahead.
"I feel honored to have been selected
as the head coach at Coppin State," she
commented. "Coppin State has become my
home away from home and this is where my heart
is. I want for nothing more than the CSU softball
team, and the institution, to be recognized
for excellence.
"When I came here in 2000 I was fortunate
enough to be part of teams that really turned
the program around and competed for conference
championships. I look forward to continuing
that tradition as the head coach." The
Detroit native graduated from Coppin State
with a degree in management science and was
a three-time MEAC Commissioner¹s All-Academic
Award recipient.
The Eagles return seven starters from a team
that compiled a 14-33 overall record and a
4-10 conference record in 2005.
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