Kovach and Tate head to Happy Valley

Over the past few years, Kelly Kovach and Kellyn Tate have been fixtures in the Michigan softball dugout. They watched the team develop into one of the top programs in the Big Ten and the country.

And just last year, they participated in the Wolverines' two wins over Penn State. This year, they'll be trying to prevent a Michigan win over the Nittany Lions.

Both Kovach and Tate left Michigan over the summer, taking up assistant coaching positions at Penn State under coach Robin Petrini.

For Kovach, a Pittsburgh native who both played and coached at Michigan, the transition is a homecoming of sorts.

"I've been at Michigan for seven years," Kovach said. "I had a great experience, but it's time to move up and move on. I guess I just needed to try something new. Also, now I'm closer to my family."

But the thing that most attracted Kovach to the Lions was the opportunity to help build a program. When Petrini arrived at Penn State, the Lions were at the bottom of the Big Ten. They have been steadily climbing and finished seventh last season.

"Michigan has a lot of tradition in the program," Kovach said. "I don't know what it's going to be like at Penn State. There doesn't seem to be much tradition yet, but there are the right kind of kids here.

"It's great to be part of the building process. It's different and I'm really excited."

Many people - including Petrini - can only speculate as to whether Penn State will gain an advantage with Kovach and Tate on staff.

But Kovach doesn't believe the Lions will have one when they face the Wolverines.

"A few days ago, Coach Petrini remarked that it will be good because I know how they hit and their weaknesses, but I don't think it'll be an advantage," Kovach said. "It all comes down to how teams execute on a given day."

Michigan coach Carol Hutchins has received numerous accolades in her 15 years as head coach.

Another credit to her abilites as both coach and person is that Hutchins trains her players in such a way that they themselves are desired as coaches around the U.S.

"There's a ton of us who played for and coached under Hutch," Kovach said. "People hire us because they know she taught us well. That speaks for itself about her."

Kovach hopes to bring to Penn State some of the qualities that Hutchins instilled in her both on and off the field. She is confident that her new team will be receptive to her ideas.

As the first assistant coach, Kovach - the all-time victories leader as a pitcher at Michigan - will primarily be working with pitchers and hitters. But more importantly, both Kovach and Tate will bring knowledge about what it takes to win to Happy Valley.

"While I can't teach them what it's like to be part of a winning program, I hope I can show them the important things like how to build comraderie," Kovach said. "I learned a lot from Hutch, and I'm going to miss working for her."

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