Fort Lewis College announced the resignation of softball coach Elle Fracker on Monday effective immediately.
Fracker compiled an overall record of 53-150 in her four seasons as head coach.
“I have accepted Elle’s letter of resignation and would like to thank coach Fracker for her dedication to the FLC softball program,” FLC Athletic Director Brandon Leimbach said in a news release. “We wish her the best moving forward.”
The highest finish the Skyhawks recorded in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference under Fracker was 11th place last spring. The Skyhawks went 16-3 and 11-29 in the RMAC in 2019.
“It’s been an exciting time in my life, and I’ve had a lot of really fun memories with the time I spent with the team and working in the athletic department,” Fracker said in an interview with The Durango Herald. “It’s been a blast getting to work with a lot of people. At the end of the day, it’s about the team and the growth that they’ve had. I appreciate every single player I had the opportunity to coach in my time here and have no doubt the team will do great things this year.”
Fracker previously coached at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota, during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. She was named the head coach at Fort Lewis ahead of the 2016 season in replacement of Kira Zeiter.
Fracker said she is unsure if she will return to coaching.
“It’s just the right time and not a whole lot went into the decision,” Fracker said. “I’m exploring some new opportunities. In terms of coaching, I’m not looking for anything at this moment, but I wouldn’t rule anything out.”
During her tenure, Fracker faced a number of challenges, including the renovations at Aspen Field that forced the Skyhawks to play the entire 2017 and the majority of 2018 seasons on the road. During the renovations, players even chipped in to complete the dugouts and ensured the field was playable. The team’s home games were played at Tiger Field in Aztec. Fort Lewis continued to use the field this past season after heavy amounts of snow made Aspen Field unplayable. The Skyhawks did not host a game on campus until late March.
A national search will begin immediately to find the program’s next head coach,” Leimbach said.
“Even after all of the obstacles we faced, I’m super grateful for my time here,” Fracker said. “I’ll always be grateful for that. The community has really embraced and helped us out and has given us opportunities to do the best that we can. I hope it continues in the future.”
bploen@durangoherald.com
