ERIE, Pa. - Former Gannon softball standout Larissa (Smith) Anderson has been named the head coach at NCAA Division I University of Missouri of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Anderson was named the 10th head coach of the program last Saturday after spending the previous four seasons as the head coach of NCAA Division I Hofstra (N.Y.) University. She began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Gannon in 1998, after being named an all-region outfielder as a senior. She graduated from Gannon in 1997 with a bachelor's of science degree in therapeutic recreation.
The Gannon record book has Anderson's name scattered throughout. She graduated as Gannon's all-time leader in runs (156), before falling to second place in 2008. Anderson left Gannon second all-time in RBI (97), second in hits (183), second in stolen bases (46) and fifth in batting average (.335). She currently ranks sixth in stolen bases, 12th in hits, 14th in batting average and 14th in RBIs. Anderson still holds three of the program's top-12 single-season run totals and broke Gannon's single-season record at the time with 41 runs in 1997.
In four seasons at Hofstra, Anderson produced a 130-73-1 (.640) record with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, two Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) titles and four winning seasons. She posted seven career wins against nationally-ranked opponents, including three in 2018 that included a 1-0 victory over then-No. 13 Florida State and a pair at No. 22 James Madison to claim the CAA Tournament crown.
An active National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) member, Anderson chaired its Ethics Committee from 2009-13, and currently serves as its Fourth Vice President on the NFCA executive board and as a member of the NFCA Recruiting Committee and the NFCA Hall of Fame Committee.
Prior to joining the Hofstra staff, Anderson served as an assistant coach for two seasons at LIU Post, where she helped the Pioneers generate a combined 75-33 record, including a school-record 42 wins during the 2000 season.
