Erin Layton Tabbed Rhode Island Head Softball Coach

Layton comes to URI after a successful two-year stint at Marist

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Aug. 18, 2008

KINGSTON, R.I. - Erin Layton has been hired as head softball coach at the University of Rhode Island, it was announced today by director of athletics Thorr Bjorn.

"We are excited to have Erin join the University of Rhode Island athletics family," Bjorn said. "She has a passion for the game of softball and will provide URI with the work ethic and determination needed to put our softball program in position to compete for a conference championship, year in and year out. Erin possesses the skills necessary to move our program forward."

Layton comes to Kingston after spending two successful seasons as the head coach at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. This May, Layton led the Red Foxes to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship game. In her two years at Marist, her teams earned back-to-back trips to the league championship tournament, while averaging 22 wins per season.

Prior to her stint at Marist, Layton served as head coach at Saint Francis (Pa.) in Loretto, Pa. from 2005-06 and the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, N.J. in 2004. She also served as an assistant coach at Furman (2002-03) and Brown (2001).

A four-year letterwinner during her playing career at the Connecticut, Layton earned first-team All-Big East accolades as a junior and senior and was a member of two Big East Championship teams. Layton compiled a .297 career average as a catcher and ranks among UConn's Top 10 in five career categories, including games played (209), runs batted in (100), and base hits (211). The Huskies posted a composite record of 127-83-1 during her collegiate career, including a 55-15 mark in Big East play, and advanced to NCAA Regional competition in 1995 and 1996.

After graduation, Layton played professionally for the New Jersey Diamonds of the Ladies Professional Baseball League. In 1999, she was selected as the softball Player of the Decade by the Trenton Times.

Layton earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood education in 1998 and a master's degree in sports management in 2000, both from Connecticut.