August 16, 2019

Wheeling selects Buckmaster to Lead Softball Program

  Friday, August 16, 2019 11:26 AM
  WU News

WHEELING, WVWHEELING, W.Va. (Aug. 16) – Wheeling University has tabbed Tiffany Buckmaster as the next Head Softball Coach announced Rudy Yovich Friday morning.

“We are excited to have Coach Buckmaster join our department and lead our softball program,” Yovich said. “Our student-athletes really connected with Tiffany during the interview process. Not only does she bring energy and enthusiasm to the job, but she brings a wealth of coaching experience at many different levels.”

Buckmaster joins the Cardinals after a two-year stint as an assistant coach at NAIA Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio. While working with the Gray Wolves, Buckmaster was instrumental in the development of a trio of First-Team All-Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) selections, including utility player Marissa Kostick. Kostick, who pitched and played first base, batted .404 and finished with 44 strikeouts and a 3.49 ERA on her way to National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region honors in 2019.

“I feel very thankful and blessed for this opportunity to be Wheeling University’s head softball coach,” said Buckmaster. “I want to thank Mr. Rudy Yovich and the search committee for selecting me as the next leader of the softball program and for the privilege to join their great family in the athletic department.”

Buckmaster arrived at Lourdes from Williston State College, where she spent three seasons as the Tetons’ head coach. While at Williston State, Buckmaster helped guide her team to a pair of runner-up finishes in the Mon-Dak Conference while producing eight all-conference and six all-region players. She also had 11 student-athletes earn All-Academic honors within the conference and had an Academic All-American under her watch.

Prior to her stint at Williston State, Buckmaster spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Bluffton University as well as one year in that same role at Division II Columbus State University in Georgia.

Buckmaster played her collegiate softball at Bluffton, where she was a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) championship team in 2008.

A 2011 graduate of Bluffton with a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education, and recreation, she earned her master’s degree in business administration from the school in 2014.

“I am truly excited for the future of Cardinal softball,” Buckmaster added. “I cannot wait to meet the team and hit the ground running.”