Each Monday of the fall semester, we’ll be bringing you three different “Getting to Know Them” profiles on coaches, athletic administrators and athletic trainers at Slippery Rock to introduce you to the folks behind the scenes here at The Rock. Next up, we check in with head softball coach Stacey Rice. 

FAST FACTS
- Seventh season as SRU head coach
- 16th overall season at SRU including years as a player and assistant
- Earned two degrees from Slippery Rock with bachelor’s degree (English education) in 2008 and master’s degree (reading) in 2010
- Still the all-time leader in eight different statistical categories at SRU

QUICK BIO
Stacey (Rhoades) Rice is one of the top hitters and most decorated players in SRU softball history. A two-time All-PSAC performer, Rice appeared in 179 games over four seasons and set program records for runs scored (143), hits (186), doubles (37), total bases (334) and walks (86) while also ranking second in home runs (35) and RBIs (129). She began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at SRU in 2009 and 2010 before accepting the assistant coaching position from 2012-14. Rice took over as the sixth head coach in SRU history in 2014. She has coached a total of 14 All-PSAC players since then and has won 100 games.

IN HER WORDS
Q: What was your favorite subject in school? Why?
A: My favorite subject in school always depended on the teacher who taught the subject. I did learn to love literature, which is why my undergraduate degree is English education.

Q: Tell us about your family. 
A: My husband, Scott, and I met at The Rock while attending college—he played baseball. We just celebrated our nine-year anniversary in June. Our daughter, Harper, will turn four in October. She is full of sass and spunk and has one heck of an arm and plans to start soccer this fall. Weber, our Goldendoodle, has accepted his new family role and thoroughly enjoys unlimited amounts of goldfish crackers and cheese puffs thrown on the floor.

Q: When did you know you wanted to go into a career in collegiate athletics?
A: Being a college coach was never in my plans. I always wanted to teach. I taught for one year in the city of Pittsburgh before my interim year as assistant coach at SRU. In a strange way, coaching found me.

Q: What was the last book you read? Thoughts on it?
A: My undergraduate degree is in English and my graduate degree is in reading, so I went through a long phase of “reading burn out.” I have an appreciation for classic and young adult literature. However, my nightstand stacks a parenting book (1-2-3 Magic), my bible (ESV) and a book on leadership (Jon Gordon). All three are excellent.

Q: Favorite current TV show? Favorite TV show of all-time?
A: Currently, my TV time consists of Disney+ these days, but prior to our Mickey Mouse Clubhouse binge watching, we indulged in shows like House, CSI, Big Bang Theory and most recently The Good Place.

Q: When you go grocery shopping, are you the “Make a List” person or the “Just Wing It” person?
A: I have a list for everything I do. Hearing the phrase “Just Wing It” makes me uncomfortable. Not only do I make a list for the grocery store, my list is in order of the grocery store isles.

Q: Are you a tech savvy person?
A: Absolutely not. I don’t have the time or passion anymore. Coach Herzog controls most of our team’s social media platforms and helps me navigate most apps. It’s also helpful being surrounded by college students who know the ins and outs of everything “tech.”

Q: What is/would be your go-to karaoke song?
A: Hands down “Love Shack” by the B-52’s. Thankfully, there is no video footage of this from circa 2008.

Q: Sheetz or WaWa?
A: Sheetz!  What’s WaWa? 

Q: Is there a professor you had a class within college that you still remember? Who and why?
A: The most memorable and impactful professor at SRU was Dr. Myra Balok (English Department). Her spirit is infectious. She is genuinely filled with joy. Her passion extends past the subjects of writing and literature and expands toward every student.

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