CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Coe College Director of Athletics and Recreation Steve Cook announced earlier this week to the Coe community that Kohawk Softball head coach Diane Meyer will resign from her position later this month. In addition, Cook announced the promotion of assistant coach, Jake Koolbeck, who has been selected to lead the Kohawk program. Meyer, who has been a part of the Kohawk softball program as a player, assistant coach and head coach for over 20 years, leaves a lasting impact upon her departure.
 
"Coach Meyer has led our softball program with so much success on and off the field," said Cook. "She ran a top-notch program that many of us coaches modeled part of our own programs after. Her efforts were always student-athlete-centered and of championship caliber. I want to thank Diane for her years of service to Coe and its student-athletes and I wish her luck in her future career endeavors."
 
Meyer spent eight seasons as Coe's head coach, holding the position from 2014-22. She amassed 164 career wins and led the program to four NCAA Regional appearances and two conference championships. Meyer and her staff were named the league's Coaching Staff of the Year in 2018 and 2021, capping off both of their conference titles. In her time as head coach, Meyer has coached over 30 all-conference players and numerous conference position player and pitcher of the year award winners. Meyer, who was inducted into the Coe Hall of Fame in 1999, was a standout player during her career at Coe from 1981-85, earning four all-league selections from the Midwest Conference. As an assistant coach, Meyer spent 12 seasons under Hall of Fame coach, Bob Timmons, helping the Kohawks to numerous conference titles and NCAA Regional appearances including the 2009 team that finished as the National runner-up. 
 
"We are excited about the promotion of Jake as he prepares to take over the program," Cook said. "Jake has been an instrumental part of the softball team during his seven years an assistant coach, making an impact on our student-athletes and our community. Coach Koolbeck will be a great person to take over from Coach Meyer with a goal of advancing the championship-caliber program."
 
Koolbeck joined the Kohawk softball staff as an assistant in 2016, working directly with the Coe offense and its hitters. As an assistant, Koolbeck has helped the Coe offense set numerous single-season records including the batting average record (.345) and on-base percentage record (.422) in 2016. Coach Koolbeck was part of two conference titles and four NCAA Tournament appearances as an assistant, reaching the postseason in 2018 and 2021. In addition to his collegiate experience, Coach Koolbeck has spent time in the high school ranks as an assistant for five seasons and a head coach at Regina for two seasons. Koolbeck has helped his high school programs to a pair of runner-up finishes at Solon and Regina and one state championship at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. 
 
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