JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Aug. 30, 2007) - ETSU softball coach Andrea Mangrum announced the addition of the new assistant coach Ariel Beus on Thursday. Beus will serve as the pitching coach for the Lady Bucs, and will look to bring a new exciting attitude to the team.

"I feel the timing is perfect for Ariel's arrival to our program," Mangrum said. "We are on an uphill climb and her expertise with not only pitching, but also speed and conditioning training will be the extra boost we need to make it the rest of the way."

Beus was an assistant at Mountain View High School (Boise, Idaho) last year, as well as a private pitching instructor. The BYU standout led her team to Mountain West Conference Championship in 2001 and 2005 as well as two NCAA regional appearances. Beus was the first player from BYU to be named the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week. Beus started out as the Sports Clinic Director at Tahoe City Public Utility District in Tahoe City, Calif. in 2005.

"Ariel has played at a very high level and been successful, so she knows what it takes to get there," added Mangrum. Her success will bring a new attitude of winning to our team. She also believes in our program's foundational values of faith, family, education, and softball. These intangibles will bring great depth to the character of our program."

Beus earned her B.S. in exercise science from BYU in 2005. Beus, a native of Houston, Texas, is married to Lance Beus, a former Seattle Mariner.

"Ariel's husband Lance, a 2005 Seattle Mariner draft pick, brings another added benefit because of his level of competition at that level," said Mangrum. "I am thrilled to have them both as a part of the family here at ETSU."

The ETSU softball team will host the first annual Blue/Gold Fall Tournament the weekend of Oct. 5-6 at Metro-Kiwanis Park.