Sept. 18, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Kelly Park enters her first year as an assistant coach for the Utah State softball program. A native of Aurora, Ill., Park earned her bachelor's from Northern Illinois University in physical education and minor in health education and graduated with a 3.8 GPA. Park played under Utah State head coach Candi Letts at NIU as an outfielder. She comes USU as a Graduate Assistant under Letts and plans to pursue a master's in education.

At NIU, Park was a four-year letterwinner and won the team's Heidi Hutchison award for sportswoman of the year twice. She earned the Huskies Victory Scholar-Athlete award 2004-08 and was named to the all-Mid-American Athletic Conference Academic team in 2007. Park also finished fourth on the team in batting average her junior year and started in all 50 games the Huskies played her senior year. Park coached girl's fast pitch 12, 14, and 16-under teams from 2005-08 in Stone City Softball Leagues each summer. For the 2007-08 season Park was part of a NIU Huskies Internship where she helped train athletes in the weight room. She did help coach ans under 16 teams that won the NAFA Nationals in Oklahoma.

Her full name is Kelly Jean Park, and she was born January 2, 1985. Park is one of three children of Tai and Judy Park.