The Bandits have named the additional coaching staff for the inaugural season. They will support and work with head coach Stacey Nuveman-Deniz.
Courtney Martinez will join the staff as the Associate Head Coach, while Grace French and Mike Lotief will be assistant coaches.
Martinez currently serves as an assistant coach in the Utah Softball program. Before joining the Utes in 2023, she spent six seasons at Iowa State working with hitters and infielders. The Cyclones hit over 40 homers in five of her six seasons on staff and made the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988. Martinez also worked as an associate head coach at UNLV. As an athlete, Martinez played four years (2006-09) at Cal State Fullerton, helping the team to four straight NCAA Regionals and one Super Regional. Martinez concluded her career ranked in the top 10 in triples, sacrifice flies, sacrifice bunts, and fielding assists. She played internationally in Italy with Nuoro.
French comes from the Northwestern Softball staff, which she joined ahead of the 2024 season as a graduate assistant. She had a decorated career at Bradley University in five seasons as a two-way player. French is a two-time Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference player and MVC All-Defensive Team honoree. As a pitcher, she recorded a career 3.42 ERA in 470.1 innings, and at the plate hit for a .787 OPS in 487 at-bats.
A four-time Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, Lotief led the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball program as a co-head coach with his wife Stefni from 2003-12 and as a head coach from 2013-17. In 2017, the team established a Sun Belt Conference record for victories (23-1 record) and competed for an NCAA Regional championship for the 10th consecutive year. Louisiana accrued a 731-176-1 record under his guidance. He was inducted into the ASA/USA Louisiana Softball Hall of Fame in 2016.
The AUSL is a professional women’s softball league featuring four teams playing in a traditional format. The league will begin play on June 7. Tickets are on sale now.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on X @savannaecollins.
