DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Extends Lenti's Contract Through 2016-17
1/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
Jan. 9, 2012
CHICAGO, Ill. - One of the best NCAA softball coaches in the history of the sport will have an opportunity to enhance his Hall of Fame career at DePaul.
Eugene Lenti has had his contract renewed through the 2016-17 academic year after leading the Blue Demons to their 16th NCAA tournament appearance last season---14th in the last 15 years.
After Lenti won his 1,100th game last May, DePaul went on to finish among the final 20 teams in the NCAA tournament while battling No. 8/4 Missouri to the regional final in Columbia, Mo.
The Blue Demons compiled an impressive 41-15 record in 2011, 19-2 in the BIG EAST Conference, and were ranked No. 24 in the nation in the final USA Today/NFCA poll.
"It was great when I was offered the extension," Lenti said. "It shows DePaul has a lot of faith in what we do and how we do it.
"After this extension, I'll have 36 years coaching at DePaul."
Lenti smiled as he reminisced about the pioneer days of DePaul softball when he coached part-time while working full-time as a high school teacher at St. Francis de Sales.
"My first season was 1980 and we really didn't have anything," Lenti said. "Ugly uniforms, and we were lucky to have a bat and ball for practice. Money was tight.
"We played our home games at the Oscar Mayer School field at Racine and Webster. Our players would line up along the foul line and walk across the infield picking up rocks and pieces of broken glass.
"Now we play in Cacciatore Stadium, a state-of-the-art facility and one of the most beautiful in the country. We're located in Lincoln Park, one of the best communities in one of the greatest cities in the world."
From such humble beginnings Lenti built a national softball powerhouse that has advanced to the Women's College World Series four times. In 30 years, Lenti has compiled a record of 1,102-527-6 which is fifth in the nation among active softball coaches.
"The cornerstone of our program has been built on the shoulders of great student-athletes who come from close, hard-working families," Lenti said. "The one thing they all shared in common was an uncommon work ethic.
"What we lacked in speed, athleticism, hitting and pitching---we made up for it with hard work. Most people will say DePaul players are a bunch of tough kids.
"We've been fortunate, especially back in the early years. Without much scholarship money, we had tough kids who were able to eek out some wins."
Where once a road trip down South meant a bus ride to Southern Illinois in Carbondale, the 2012 Blue Demons will travel to tournaments in Hawaii, Las Vegas, Miami, southern California, Tuscaloosa, Ala. and Clearwater, Fla.
The next chapter in the Lenti saga begins with coaching his daughters. Ali is a freshman outfielder at DePaul and Gena is a senior at St. Ignatius who has signed to play for the Blue Demons in the 2013 season.
"It's something I'm looking forward to," Lenti said. "I've coached both in the summer, but now I get a chance to see them devote all their time and energy to softball since they played multiple sports in high school. I'll get to see them perform at the highest level concentrating on just one sport.
"It's a cool thing coaching your own kids. It's unique, and doesn't happen very often."
Neither does a softball coach like Eugene Lenti.
