Shawn Rychcik
	Position: Head Coach Experience: 1st season

Throughout his playing and coaching career, first-year NC State softball coach Shawn Rychcik has produced champions and championships.

In a 23-year hall-of-fame playing career, Rychcik won three International Softball Congress world championships and two American Softball Association national championships and twice was recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee as the men's fast-pitch player of the year.

In his 10 years as a collegiate coach - two as an assistant and eight as a head coach - Rychcik helped Boston University win four America East Tournament championships and four regular-season championships and led the Terriers to four NCAA Regionals, including three in the last four seasons.

He's never had a losing season, overall or in conference play, in his eight seasons as a head coach.

With a 271-159-1 overall record and a 114-40 mark in league play, Rychcik is determined to return the Wolfpack to the top of the ACC, through hard work, discipline and an explosive, high-scoring offense.

"I want people to know that this will be a hard-working program and we are going to do everything we can to win," Rychcik said. "Everywhere I have been, I've been a winner, whether it was my playing career or my coaching career.

"We will try to turn things around and get on a winning track this year. I know change takes time, but I want to get going right away."

The native of Salamanca, N.Y., was hired on July 6, 2012, to take over the Wolfpack's fast-pitch program, which is entering its 10^th season as a varsity sport at NC State. He inherits a program that won the 2006 ACC Championship in its third year, but has posted four consecutive losing seasons in league play.

Rychcik, meanwhile, spent the last eight seasons turning Boston University into an America East powerhouse, while rewriting the school record book, setting 10 team offensive records and 11 individual single-season marks. His 2007 team was ranked fourth in the nation with 65 home runs in 48 games, sixth in slugging percentage and 12^th in scoring.

"Some coaches like to run exclusively, some like to sit back and build on power," Rychcik said. "I like to do a little bit of both. I like to stay aggressive and put pressure on people. Sometimes we will have runners thrown out stealing or trying to take an extra base.

"I like trying to force the other team to execute. I would rather see a more reckless offense and a more conservative defense, where you give them a single, but don't try to make a big play by throwing it away at first base and putting the other team in scoring position. We want to create as many runs as we can on offense, without giving anything away on defense."

Rychcik's success at Boston University paved the way for his selection as one of 14 members of the U.S. national team coaching pool. From 2009-12, he worked with the national team, including many players who helped the United States win a silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

As a player, Rychcik was a power-hitting outfielder and first baseman. He was named to the ISC All-World Team 10 times and was the Most Valuable Player of the 1999 ASA championships, after driving in a record 15 RBIs in five games.

In all, he won three ISA world titles and two ASA national titles, while playing for teams in Florida, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. He was inducted into the ISC Hall of Fame on Aug. 12, 2012.

After retiring in 2006, Rychcik poured his energy into building on the initial success he had at Boston University. Now, he hopes to replicate that success in Raleigh.

"The opportunities here far out-weigh the challenges," Rychcik said. "I look forward to being in a great conference, playing in a great stadium and being at a bigger program.

"We have some work to do, but what I like is that all our players have been very accepting of what we plan on doing in changing the culture so that we have the opportunity to win games."

Rychcik graduated from Gannon University in 1991 with a degree in physical education/sports management.

He and his wife, Tricia, live in Apex, N.C., with their two sons, Ajay and Drew.

Rychcik's Career Accomplishments

• Named the second fast-pitch coach in NC State history on July 6, 2012, after two seasons as an assistant and eight seasons as head coach at Boston University.
• Guided BU to three of the school's nine America East tournament championships (2009, '10, 12) and was an assistant coach on another (2003).
• Led team to four America East regular-season titles (2007, '10, '11, '12).
• Took his team to eight consecutive America East tournament title games.
• Made three NCAA Regional appearances (2009, '10, '12) as a head coach, posting a 3-6 record in nine career regional games.
• Four-time America East Coach of the Year (2007, '10, '11, `12).
• Winningest coach in Boston University history with 271 career victories and 114 conference wins.
• Has never had a losing overall or conference season as a head coach.
• Coached four America East players of the year, three pitchers of the year, four rookies of the year, 46 all-conference players and 21 all-rookie team members.
• Mentored three All-Americans, four NFCA Academic All-Americans and one CoSIDA Academic All-District I team selection.
• Served in the coaching pool for the women's national team from 2009-2012.
• Played fast-pitch softball for 23 years and was a member of the U.S. men's national team for eight years, winning one gold medal, three silver medals and a bronze medal.
• Twice named U.S. Olympic Committee's softball athlete of the year (1999, 2000).
• Inducted into the International Softball Congress Hall of Fame on Aug. 12, 2012.

Shawn Rychcik Head Coaching Record
Year School Overall Pct. Conf. Pct. Postseason
2005 Boston University 26-19-1 .576 14-4 .778 None
2006 Boston University 29-29 .500 11-10 .524 None
2007 Boston University 34-14 .708 17-3 .850 None
2008 Boston University 29-23 .558 15-6 .714 None
2009 Boston University 43-18 .705 14-6 .700 America East champion, NCAA Regional (1-2)
2010 Boston University 35-22 .614 14-3 .823 America East champion, NCAA Regional (1-2)
2011 Boston University 34-18 .654 14-4 .778 None
2012 Boston University 41-16 .719 15-3 .833 America East champion, NCAA Regional (1-2)
Total 271-159-1 .629 114-40 .740

Assistant coaching record

Year School Overall Pct. Conf. Pct. Postseason
2003 Boston University 33-23 .589 17-3 .850 America East champion, NCAA Regional
2004 Boston University 26-32 .448 11-7 .611
Year 59-55 .518 28-10 .737