Oregon State University

Oregon State University Athletics
114 Gill Coliseum Corvallis, OR 97331

Division 1 Oregon Northwest

Public Very Large National competitor

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Laura Berg

Laura Berg enters her 13th year leading the Oregon State softball program.

Berg joined the Beavers’ staff as an assistant prior to the 2012 season after one of the most successful softball careers in NCAA and Team USA history. During the summer of 2012, she also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team in its run at the ISF XIII World Women’s Championships in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, and has worked with Team USA in every summer since.

A walkoff upset of eighth-ranked Stanford in April marked Berg's 300th win to highlight the 2024 season. In a schedule that saw eight ranked squads, the Beavers scored five upsets and a narrow opening day loss to Florida, an eventual semifinalist at the Women's College World Series.

The 2023 season saw a pair receive honors from the Pac-12 - Frankie Hammoude (Third Team) and Morgan Howey (All-Freshman). Oregon State took down #21 Missouri in the first month of the campaign before home upsets of #9 Washington - an 11-1 win by run-rule - and #18 Oregon. Frankie Hammoude shattered the program's longstanding home run record with a towering shot to center field in the Washington series finale with the 53rd in her time wearing the Orange and Black.

She led Oregon State to one of the best seasons in program history in 2022, as the Beavers made their second ever trip to the Women’s College World Series and ended the season ranked No. 8 in the nation. For their efforts, Berg and her staff were named NFCA Pacific Region Coaching Staff of the Year. OSU finished the campaign with a record of 39-22, in a season that included a 17-game winning streak. The Beavers won seven games vs. ranked opponents.Mariah Mazon and Frankie Hammoude both earned All-America honors for their performance on the year..

In her first year as head coach, Oregon State posted a 34-24 record, the most wins ever for a Beaver head coach in his or her first year. In the process, OSU secured its second straight season with at least 30 wins and an NCAA postseason berth. The Beavers tied a school record by batting .280 and also notched some big wins; including the school’s first-ever sweep of nationally-ranked Arizona and a road shutout of No. 10 California, its first top-10 road victory since 2007.

Berg followed her inaugural season up with another strong offensive showing in 2014, as the Beavers set another school record by batting .287. Berg led the Beavers to a number of big victories in the 2014 campaign, including a series win over No. 5/7 Arizona State and Oregon State’s first series win over Stanford since 2007.

Oregon State would continue to build on their strong offensive output in 2015, Berg’s third season. Under her tutelage, the Beavers hit .298, the second-best total in school history. Oregon State also scored 300 runs, one shy of a school record, en route to a 26-26 season.

In 2016, Berg led the Beavers back to the NCAA Regional for her second time as head coach, while also reaching 30-wins. Oregon State also recorded its highest batting average in program history with a .306 mark. Berg led eight Beavers to earn Pac-12 postseason honors, including her fifth student-athlete to NFCA Pacific Region honors.

Berg again led the Beavers back to the NCAA Regional in 2017 for her third time as head coach and for the first time in back-to-back years since 2012-13. Oregon State post some impressive wins over the Pac-12 Conference schedule, including winning its first game by run-rule over a top-10 league opponent. The Beavers run-ruled No. 8/9 UCLA for the first time in program history on April 13. The Beavers would go on to win the series for the first time ever after a walk-off homer by Natalie Hampton gave OSU the win. Oregon State also picked up a series win against No. 10/11 Utah. Senior pitcher, Taylor Cotton carried a no-hitter into the final out of game one, but could not finish it off.

2018 marked the fourth time Berg has led OSU to the NCAA Regional. The third-consecutive return trip also marked the longest post-season streak the Beavers have had since the team made a nine-year run from 1999-2007. Oregon State posted its third 30-win season under Berg, including a 4-3 win over No. 2 Oregon at the OSU Softball Season. This was the first win over Oregon since 2012. The Beavers also took down No. 7 Arizona State, 4-2, a week later after jumping out to an early lead. Oregon State finished sixth in the Pac-12 in 2018, the highest finish under Berg’s tutelage.

In 2019, Berg led Oregon State to the best start of a season since 2003 when the team went 8-0 through the first eight games. The Beavers also opened Pac-12 play with a 5-2 victory over No. 17 Arizona State on Mar. 15. This was the first time OSU has opened Pac-12 play with a win since 2014. Another accomplishment was Oregon State sweeping Oregon for the first time since 2006. The three victories in Eugene also marked the first time OSU has won a game in Eugene since 2009. In her seventh season as head coach, the Beavers tied for Berg's highest finish in Pac-12 play finishing sixth. Berg finished the season by leading four Beavers to earn Pac-12 postseason honors, including her seventh and eighth student-athletes to NFCA Pacific Region honors. Berg also coached outfielder Jessica Garcia to make the top play on SportsCenter, the top NCAA Softball Play of the Week and top NCAA Softball Picture of the Week with a leaping catch over the left-field fence to rob a home run from Utah.

2020 saw a shortened season playing only 26 games. OSU finished with a 17-9 overall record and received votes in six consecutive USA Softball/ESPN.com polls. Under her direction, junior pitcher Mariah Mazon earned All-America Third Team honors from Softball America after throwing two no-hitters in back-to-back weekends and finishing the season with a 1.18 ERA. Mazon struck out 130 batters and posted four saves. Offensively, Mazon led the Beavers with a .377 batting average off 29 hits.

In 2021, Berg coached Frankie Hammoude to break the program record with 17 home runs in a single season. Playing 46 games, the Beavers finished with a 20-26 record. In its opening weekend, on the debut day of the newly named Kelly Field, OSU played a doubleheader against Sacramento State (Mar. 12) with pitchers Mariah Mazon notching a perfect game and Trystan Melancon following with a second no-hitter. Mazon finished the season with three no-hitters and 204 strikeouts. Offensively, Hammoude led the team with a .360 batting average off 49 hits. Mazon and Missy Nunes followed in her tracks with the trio sitting in the top-three of hits, runs, home runs, and RBI, as well as slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Mazon and Hammoude garnered Pac-12 Player of the Week honors with both pulling First Team All-Pac-12 awards following the conclusion of the season. To cap off the season, Hammoude (1st) and Mazon (2nd) were named All-Pacific Region by the NFCA.

Working mainly with the team’s slappers and outfielders, Berg helped put Oregon State back among the nation’s elite in 2012. The Beavers went 36-23 en route to their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2007. OSU batted .273, the fifth-best mark in program history, set team records for both RBI (269) and runs scored (301) and its 70 stolen bases tied for third all-time.

The Beavers’ renaissance in 2012 saw the team re-enter the national polls for the first time since 2008, defeat a total of 10 ranked opponents and claim a number of defining wins, including an extra-innings upset of No. 3 Arizona State and a road victory over No. 14 UCLA in April. OSU defeated its opponent by at least 10 runs on five occasions and scored more than 10 runs eight times, the second-highest totals in those respective categories in the 38-year history of the program.

Berg also helped tutor Dani Gilmore into becoming one of the best center-fielders in the Pac-12, as the Beaver freshman batted .322 with nine home runs and 33 RBI while posting a nearly flawless .990 fielding percentage. Gilmore was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and was also tabbed All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention after her inaugural season in the Orange & Black.

Berg previously had two stints as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Fresno State, from 2000-03 and 2005-06, stepping down to train with the U.S. Women’s National Team in the interim. Joining the national team in 1994 as a center-fielder, she is the most decorated USA Softball Olympic athlete in history, helping her nation to three golds (1996 - Atlanta, 2000 - Sydney, 2004 - Athens) and one silver (2008 - Beijing). She has won 11 total medals, 10 gold, while competing for the U.S. in the Olympic Games, the ISF Women’s World Championship and the Pan American Games. Her eighth-inning hit in the gold medal game in the 2000 Sydney Olympics drove in the winning run to help the Stars and Stripes defeat Japan, 2-1. The 2004 team was inducted into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame Class of 2012.

Berg had served four years as an Assistant Coach for the Women’s National Team Program before being named the Head Coach for the Junior Women’s National Team in 2017. With the Women’s National Team, Berg helped lead the Red, White and Blue to three Gold Medal finishes at the World Cup of Softball, a Gold Medal at the 2019 Lima Pan American Games, two WBSC World Championship Silver Medals and a Silver Medal at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. With the Junior Women’s National Team, Berg first served as an Assistant Coach in 2013 where the team earned a Silver Medal at the WBSC Junior Women’s World Championship.

On November 14, 2019, Berg was named as an assistant to the 2020 WNT Team's Coaching Staff. She will join the Stars and Stripes on staff in the pursuit of another Olympic Gold Medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (to be played in the summer of 2021).

In her first year as Head Coach of the Junior Women’s National Team, Berg helped lead one of the most dominant Junior Women’s National Teams in USA Softball history. As a team, the U.S. broke the team home run record with 15 total throughout the banner event while Bubba Nickles established three world championship records, recording home runs (six), RBI (30) and a .690 batting average.

As a player for the Bulldogs in the mid-1990s, Berg was a four-time All-American whose collegiate career was highlighted by a NCAA Championship title in 1998. She led her squad to three Women’s College World Series appearances, two Western Athletic Conference crowns and helped Fresno State to a 206-60 (.774) record in her four-year career.

Berg’s name is scattered throughout the NCAA, WAC and Fresno State record books in a number of offensive categories. She is second all-time in career hits in NCAA history (396), is 12th in runs (245) and her 25 career triples tie her for 23rd. Berg finished her career with a .414 batting average and by the time her senior season ended in 1998, she ranked first in school history in triples, runs, hits and stolen bases, while also finishing as the WAC’s career leader in triples, runs, hits, at bats, games played and total bases. She is the only Fresno State player to amass 300 or more career hits and also posted a 160-game defensive error-less streak in the field.

A native of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., she received her bachelor’s degree in commercial recreation from Fresno State in 1998.

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Marcie Green

Marcie Green - who leads the pitching - finished her 11th season in 2024 to start her second stint with the Beavers. She ended her first following the Beavers' run to the 2022 Women's College World Series.

The 2024 Beavers arms were led by newcomer, Logan Hulon, who racked up team-bests in strikeouts (94) and complete games (11). Hulon also had a pair of nine-strikeout performances (March 2 vs. San Jose State and March 30 at #8 Washington) last year. In addition to her team-leading seven complete games, Ellie Garcia paced the staff with a pair of saves.

Green helped lead Oregon State to one of the best seasons in program history in 2022, as the Beavers made their second ever trip to the Women’s College World Series and ended the season ranked No. 8 in the nation. For their efforts, Oregon State's staff was named NFCA Pacific Region Coaching Staff of the Year. OSU finished the campaign with a record of 39-22, in a season that included a 17-game winning streak. The Beavers won seven games vs. ranked opponents.Mariah Mazon and Frankie Hammoude both earned All-America honors for their performance on the year..

In her first season at Oregon State, she worked closely with senior right-hander Marina Demore, who was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention pick after compiling a 21-13 record to become the first Oregon State pitcher since 2007 to win 20 games. Demore posted a career-best 3.00 ERA and also shattered her previous highs by tallying 19 complete games and six shutouts.

Green also mentored fellow senior Tina Andreana, whose two-hitter at No. 10 California on April 21, 2013 provided Oregon State with its first road shutout of a top-10 team since 2007. During a late April home series against No. 23 Arizona, the duo of Demore and Andreana threw all 22 innings and gave up just three earned runs, leading Oregon State to a trio of 2-1 wins for its first-ever sweep of the Wildcats. The weekend of pitching dominance also produced OSU’s first Pac-12 sweep since 2007 and its first sweep of a ranked foe since taking all three from No. 25 Oregon in 2005.

After working with veteran pitchers in her first year, Green took over a relatively inexperienced staff in 2014. Under her tutelage, senior Amanda Najdek has the best season of her collegiate career, highlighted by pair of victories over No. 5/7 Arizona State, leading to Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors. Green and the Beavers posted a number of big wins in the campaign, including Oregon State’s first series win over Stanford since 2007, in a three-game set that saw junior transfer Melanie Dembinski allow just 11 hits in 11 innings of work.

Green took over another inexperienced staff in 2015, with a group of pitchers featuring two transfers and a pair of freshmen. Green coached Beverly Miller to All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in her debut season at the Division I level, as the junior led the Pac-12 in innings pitched and threw the Beavers’ first no-hitter since 2011. Miller finished the year sixth in the conference in strikeouts. Under Green’s watch, the Beavers earned marquee wins over No. 16 Arizona State, No. 20 Washington and California, as well as a series sweep of Stanford.

In 2016, the staff saw the 30-wins mark for just the second time in Green's tenure, while recording the least losses with 20. Green coached freshman Meehra Nelson to the record books as she tallied seven saves to set a single-season record on her way to earning All-Pac-12 Third team and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors. She also was a Top-25 Finalist, Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year. The freshman also garnished a trio of in-season awards, being named Pac-12 Freshman and Pitcher of the Week and NFCA Selected Top Performance of the Week. Nelson finished with 211 strikeouts, the seventh-most in a single season.

2017 was a year that no one expected to happen how it did. Senior Taylor Cotton made a miraculous comeback to become the Beavers' ace. Cotton transferred from California after her freshman year and pitch a total of 59 1/3 inning her first two years in the Orange and Black. As a senior she started 29 games in the circle and posted a 2.50 ERA after hurling 165 1/3 innings. She nearly doubled her career strike outs with 142 during the season, including finishing tied for third in the Pac-12 with 36 batters struck out looking.

In 2018, Green developed three pitchers to become a force in the Pac-12. As a whole, Nerissa Eason, Mariah Mazon and Meehra Nelson pitched 30 complete games, including eight complete game shutouts. The three also struck out 295 batters while keeping opponents at a .251 batting average. Mazon and Nelson maintained under a 2.90 ERA through a combined 344.2 innings of work. Under Green's leadership, Mazon was able to pick up Pac-12 All-Conference Third Team and Pac-12 All-Freshman honors.

Green continued the development of Eason, Mazon and Nelson in 2019. Between the three, OSU recorded 289 strike outs through 290 innings of work while pitching 28 complete games and nine shutouts. As a sophomore, Mazon earned Pac-12 Second Team honors and was the first Pitcher of the Week on April 29 that the Beavers have had since Cotton earned the honor in 2017. Also while under Green's tutelage, Mazon earned NFCA Second Team honors for her work in the circle, while Nelson sits No. 5 all-time in OSU history with 481 strike outs.

2020 was a shortened season for the Beavers as the team only pitched a total of 178.0 innings between four players. As a junior, Mazon earned Softball American All-America Third Team honors. Mazon led the pitching corps with 113.0 innings and 130 strikeouts. Under Green's leadership, she also finished in ranked in the following categories in the NCAA: No. 3 solo-shutouts (six), No. 6 saves (four), No. 7 strikeouts and No. 32 ERA (1.18). Mazon capped off her junior year throwing her first two career no-hitters at UNLV and at Houston. Complementing Mazon in the circle was graduate transfer Trystan Melancon. Melancon saw time in 11 games pitching 50.1 innings and struck out 67 batters. She finished the season with a 1.81 ERA and a 5-3 record. Eason and freshman Xiao Gin rounded out the pitching staff. Between the two of them, they pitched 14.2 innings and struck out 12 batters while only allowing 12 hits. Gin picked up her first victory in the Orange and Black aginst UC Riverside and finished with one save.

In 2021, Mariah Mazon once again led the four pitchers with Nerissa Eason, Trystan Melancon and Xiao Gin. Mazon capped off her season with Second Team All-Pacific Region honors after being named First Team All-Pac-12. The junior pitcher surpassed 200 strikeouts (totaling 204) and pitched three no-hitters including one perfect game to open the Beavers' home slate (Mar. 12). To close out OSU's opening day, Trystan Melancon pitched a no-hitter for the second game of the doubleheader against Sacramento State.

Green came to Oregon State after spending the previous nine years as an assistant at her alma mater-Fresno State. She helped the Bulldogs to NCAA Tournament appearances each season, in addition to four WAC championships and two conference tournament titles.

A four-year standout for the Bulldog softball program at pitcher, Green came to Fresno State after serving three years as an assistant coach at the College of Sequoias. COS finished third place at the 2003 state tournament and was part of a coaching staff that was selected as the 2003 National Fastpitch Coaches Association/California Junior College Coaching Staff of the Year.

While COS captured two conference titles (2002 and '03) under her assistance, she also coached her first NFCA All-America pitcher. In addition, Green served as adjunct faculty member who taught a physical education class on Fundamentals of Fast Pitch Softball.

In the Amateur Softball Association arena, Green was as an assistant coach for the Valley ICE Softball Organization for two years and helped the 18-under team reach the national tournament in 2001 and 2002. Also, Green co-directed the Fresno Force Softball Organization (1992-95). As co-head coach she helped the 16-under team to a national title in 1993 while reaching nationals with numerous age groups with the Fresno Force.

Green wrapped up her Bulldog career listed among the school's career top five in virtually every pitching category. The two-time all-Big West honoree guided Fresno State to three Big West Conference titles en-route to four NCAA Regional appearances and three Women's College World Series showings.

The two-time team co-MVP was named all-WCWS as a freshman when the Bulldogs finished as the national runner-up in 1990. With a tournament leading 14 strikeouts at the WCWS, she recorded shutout wins over Arizona and Oklahoma State. The next two years she would be decisive in the circle for the Bulldogs as she won the regional championship games that sent the Bulldogs to the WCWS in 1991 and '92, in which Fresno State finished third both years.

As a Bulldog, Green went 86-26 in the circle with 60 shutouts and 584 strikeouts in 779.1 innings pitched for a 0.66 ERA. In addition, she appeared in 119 games and started 112 while tossing 104 complete games. Throwing four no-hitters and tallying three 20-win seasons, she ranks among the program's top pitchers.

The Visalia, Calif., native, graduated from Fresno State with a bachelor of science in criminology in 1994.