Natalie Kozlowski has been on the ECU staff for nine years, serving as the offensive and outfield coach throughout her time with the Pirates. Kozlowski has also had the responsibility of being the recruiting coordinator, scouting director and conditioning coach during her tenure at East Carolina. Kozlowski's squads dominate the ECU team record book as she is responsible for teams ranked first or second in 10 out of 11 offensive categories. Her teams rank number one in games played in a season, at bats, home runs, base on balls, runs scored, hits, runs batted in and doubles while placing second in batting average and stolen bases. Kozlowski guided the Pirate offense to its highest home run total in school history in 2007 with 58, topping the previous record of 57 set just two seasons earlier. In 2008, the Pirates led Conference USA in hit by pitches, placed second in hits, runs batted in, total bases, plate appearances, at bats and stolen bases and finished third in runs scored and sacrifice bunts. Kozlowski has coached 22 all-conference members at ECU. She was an assistant to Kee when the head coach was awarded C-USA Coach-of-the-Year in 2005 and again 2009. The Pirates have amassed a record of 369-232 with Kozlowski as an assistant and associate head coach, including the school-record 60-win season in 2000. "Being able to retain Coach Koz for eight years has made a direct impact on our program's success," said Kee. "She is a tireless worker with an uncanny teaching ability. Working side by side with a coach who is loyal, driven and completely committed to our program and university is priceless. Her impact on the development of our student athletes has been and will be felt for many years to come." Kozlowski was previously at Towson University where she served as an assistant to the softball team for one year and the basketball team for two. She also spent two years as an assistant with the George Mason softball program prior to her stint at Towson. Before her coaching years at the collegiate level, Kozlowski spent three years at Smith Academy High School in Hatfield, Mass., coaching softball and basketball. Kozlowski earned a Bachelor of Science in exercise science from Hofstra University, where she was a member of the basketball and softball teams for four seasons. She played for Coach Bill Edwards, a 2009 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame inductee and nine-time NFCA Region Coach-of-the-Year. Her 1992 team finished the year as the regular-season East Coast Conference champion, league-tournament champion and No. 3 ranked squad in the Northeast Region. As a sophomore, she was honored as the most improved player on the Pride basketball team, the same award she received for softball as a freshman. Her senior year, Kozlowski was named an all-conference selection while also earning honors as a District I GTE Academic All-American. She also earned the Dr. Sylvia J. Giallombardo Award for academic and athletic excellence, one of the most prestigious awards given at Hofstra. After graduating from Hofstra, Kozlowski enrolled at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she earned a master's degree in exercise physiology in 1995. In 1996, the Elmira, N.Y., native was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Notre Dame High School. During her four years at the institution, she earned 12 varsity letters as a member of the basketball, softball, soccer, track and volleyball squads. Kozlowski is an avid runner and biker who completed the 2007 Outer Banks marathon. Other marathons in which she has participated include Disney, New York City, Richmond and Wineglass. She has also run four half-marathons and five ten-mile races and completed her second Cotton Century bike ride in August of 2005. She is the youngest of Ted and Ann Kozlowski's five children. |
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