Linn-Mar hires former all-stater Lindsey (Digmann) Murray as softball coach

MARION — Lindsey Murray played with passion.

Now, she said, 'I'm excited to bring that back with me as a coach.'

Pending board approval, Murray has been hired as the next softball coach at Linn-Mar, her alma mater.

'I'm excited to be back,' she said Monday night. 'I remember the awesome teams I had here as a player, and I want these girls here to have that kind of experience.

'Linn-Mar has had a really good program, and I want to build on that and get it to an even higher level.'

As Lindsey Digmann, Murray was an all-state shortstop at Linn-Mar and played in three state tournaments. The 2006 team was a strike away from the Class 4A championship before losing a heartbreaker to Des Moines East in the final. She went on to earn all-Big Ten honors at the University of Iowa under Gayle Blevins.

Murray still holds Linn-Mar career records in at bats, singles and stolen bases.

Linn-Mar Associate Athletics Director Tonya Moe said she was 'pleasantly surprised by the strong pool of applicants' in the position.

'I always knew there was going to be strong interest, but being at the beginning of a school year it can sometimes be difficult timing to hire someone.

'We are beyond excited to have Lindsey back at Linn-Mar. Her knowledge of the game is top-notch, and her level of energy and passion for the game is so contagious.'

Murray, 30, succeeds John Begley, who coached the previous five seasons. The Lions lose five of their top seven hitters from a team that went 23-20 last summer.

This will be Murray's first head-coaching job. She was an assistant at Linn-Mar for two years, at Western Dubuque for five. She teaches in the social-studies department at Linn-Mar High School.

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