About Us
We focus on lifting players up to be able to achieve their highest potential, providing information they need in order to be successful with their own hard work. Valuing the development of players mentally, physically and emotionally to aid them in performing at the highest level of competition.
Teaching a core group of skills that each player can use on and off the field, we build strong women and competitive athletes at the same time. All of the girls will be taught the game of softball with a strong focus on developing life skills.
The Suncat 20
Long before COVID made at home work a normal thing we started the Suncat 20. Every non-practice day a player is expected to put in 20 minutes of softball related work. Each of our girls is committed to improving their craft by putting in their own work in addition to practice. All 45+ players tweet out short videos of their 20 minutes first describing what they are working on and then demonstrating it through video. Follow us using the link below or follow a specific player by viewing them on the roster pages.
Our People
Kirsten Voak - 18U Head Coach
In her first season at the helm - with direct oversight of the pitching staff - the Golden Eagles navigated through a thin pitching rotation to finish among Conference USA's best come season end.
During the 2012 season, Voak directed a young group of pitchers with just one veteran pitcher, Dietrich, who was with the Golden Eagles prior to the season. The second-year coach worked with true freshmen Kaitlin Wilson and Emily Wood, as well as directing transfer Kimberly Wagner and Dietrich. The trio of Dietrich, Wagner and Wilson carried the majority of the workload, combining for 74 appearances with 50 starts to their credit. Under Voak's tutelage, the trio of pitchers combined for 332.0 innings with 157 strikeouts. Voak came to Southern Miss after spending the 2006-10 seasons at her alma mater, Arizona State, where she served as an assistant under head coach Clint Myers.
In her five seasons with the team, the Sun Devils amassed a 264-73 (.783) overall record and won the 2008 Women's College World Series (WCWS) National Championship.
During the 2008 season, Voak and the other members of the ASU coaching staff were named the National Coaching Staff of the Year. Throughout her tenure at Arizona State, the Sun Devils were one of the top programs in the nation, making five consecutive trips to the Super Regional stage of the NCAA Tournament and advancing to four consecutive Women's College World Series. While serving as the pitching coach, Voak developed three-time All-American pitcher Katie Burkhart, who was also named the MVP of the 2008 WCWS. She was also responsible for the development of six other All-Americans while at ASU. Voak was a standout pitcher for Arizona State from 1999 through 2002, earning All-American honors in 1999 and 2000. In addition, she was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection, earning the distinction in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
Eric Ulrich - 18U Assistant Coach
Coach Ulrich has coached baseball from 2010 to 2017 for levels including 10u-18u club, High School Freshman-Varsity including their summer programs. His main area of focus has been infield mechanics. Starting 2013 Coach Ulrich has been an active assistant softball coach from 2013 to current for 12u-18u.
Coach Ulrich is also a board member for the Arizona Suncats.
Jon Malgradi - 16U Head Coach
During his first two seasons working with the Southern Miss hitters, Malgradi produced back-to-back Conference USA All-Freshman team honorees
As the head coach at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz., Malgradi compiled a 102-76 record, including a top-10 ranking in 2011 and a regular season conference championship in 2010. The program also set school record marks for wins (42) and their highest ranking in the NJCAA National Poll (No. 2).
From 2006-10, Malgradi also served as a clinician at all Arizona State softball camps. Prior to Mesa, Malgradi coached at Central Arizona College in 2008, leading the Vaqueros to a .403 team batting average, and a Division I NJCAA record 484 runs in 62 games.
In 2006-07, Malgradi coached varsity at Seton Catholic High School where he also taught science, biology and anatomy physiology. Malgradi's team went 20-2, breaking 21 of 23 school records in the process, en route to winning a state title at Seton Catholic. Malgradi played baseball collegiately while at Fresno State during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. However, his playing career was cut short due to extensive damage in his pitching shoulder. Malgradi earned his degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in sports psychology in 2005.
Marcos Ruiz - 16U Assistant Coach
Former 12U club coach in Santa Clara, CA for the Sparks Marcos joins the Arizona Suncats 14u as an assistant coach. Marcos has been coaching at the club level for 6 years now. Marcos is key asset to developing our infield defense and keeping girls head in the game.
Richard Kates - 16U Assistant Coach & Athletic Trainer
Coach K. joined the Arizona Suncats in August of 2016. Coach K is responsible for developing all of our conditioning plans in addition to running our Monday lifting sessions. You can usually find Coach K. on the field tending to an injury or working with the girls in the dugout helping us to improve our offensive game.
In 2010, Mr. Kates became Red Mountain's head, athletic trainer. As a teacher, his primary responsibility is to create & implement a sports medicine curriculum that provides student-trainers meaningful opportunities in athletic treatment during interscholastic competition. As the head athletic trainer, Mr. Kates is responsible for the care & prevention of injuries of Red Mountain's athletes. Prior to Red Mountain, Mr. Kates was the head athletic trainer at Desert Mountain & Chaparral High School. He also worked at Foothills Physical Therapy as the head athletic trainer & FAST Manager while completing a Masters of Science in Human Kinesiology.
Coming Soon - 14U Head Coach
Coming Soon
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Aaron Getreu - 12U Head Coach
Coming Soon
Chase Tutorow - 12U Head Coach
Coming Soon
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