Feb. 24, 2000

LUBBOCK, Texas - Carla Marchetti has been named by Texas Tech athletic department officials as the interim head coach of the Texas Tech softball team today, replacing Renee Luers-Gillespie who announced her resignation to take the head coaching position at the University of Central Florida.

Marchetti has been serving as the team's head assistant this season. Before coming to Texas Tech she served three years as an assistant at the University of Kansas and prior to that, was an assistant at Northern Illinois for three years.

"The opportunity Renee has been given is a good one and she couldn't pass it up," Marchetti said. "She's left the program in a good position. Now I just want to step in for the time being and help this team take care of the business we need to take care of."

"We appreciate all that Renee has meant to our program here at Texas Tech," said Texas Tech Athletic Director Gerald Myers. "To come in, start from scratch and accomplish what she has is remarkable and appreciated. We wish her well.

"We are also excited about turning the program over to Coach Marchetti at this point and have all the confidence in the world she will continue to build on the foundation Coach Gillispie has in place."

Gillispie, who arrived at Tech in 1995 and revived a softball program that had been dormant since 1985, leaves after guiding the Red Raiders to a No. 24 national ranking and NCAA Regional Finals appearance in 1999. She will arrive at UCF to build the schools softball program, which will begin play for the first time in the 2001 season.

"I've enjoyed my time at Texas Tech and all the success we've had," Gillispie said. "However, this opportunity was one I couldn't pass up."