Tyra Perry
Hometown: Zachary, La.
Alma Mater: Louisiana State University ('97, M.S. '98)
Record by School
Ball State - 67-44
Western Kentucky - 196-146-1
Birmingham Southern - 146-198
Fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance in her second season, Perry had connected with many people in the surrounding community. She said there were no problems adjusting to the area, finding the best restaurants and getting comfortable.
She said goodbye to Ball State last week, however, as she was named the second head coach in Illinois softball history.
“I don’t move around without really thinking about it, and really considering what’s going on," Perry said. "Just having that excellent senior class at Ball State coming up made it a really tough decision."
A 1998 graduate and former student-athlete for Louisiana State University, Perry began her coaching career in 2002 for Birmingham Southern College.
She established a sense of stability there, as she spent six years at the school before her first move.
Birmingham Southern made the switch from a Division-I softball program to Division-III, which prompted a change. Perry became the head coach for Western Kentucky prior to the 2008 season.
Perry spent six years as the Hilltoppers' coach, culminating in an NCAA Regional appearance after a 43-18 season.
Her next move was to Ball State, whose job was vacant following former coach Craig Nicholson's transfer to a position at Arizona State. She thought her job was "not to mess up" the winning attitude that Nicholson established.
Her two-year stop at Ball State reaped success, ending with a regular season Mid-American Conference title, a MAC Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Perry leaves behind a senior class that will experience its third coach in a four-year span.
“That senior class is outstanding," Perry said. "They are just great — not just great athletes, but a great group of individual people that come from wonderful families.”
Perry will make the transition to her third school in four years, replacing Terri Sullivan for the Illini. Sullivan has been the coach since the program began in 2000.
She cited the facilities, her comfort with the campus and coaching in the Big 10 Conference as reasons for taking the job.
Perry was hired at Illinois in about a week's time, but she knows the nature of the business by now, and that when summer hits, there is always a flurry of changes.
“The opportunity came by, it was a good fit, and it’s something that I’m really excited about," Perry said. "But at the same time I’m going to miss Ball State.”
Perry is focusing her first days on the job on the recruiting trail. She wants to work on her staff in the near future, as well as integrating herself into the community.
For Ball State, the coaching search begins. The team currently has three assistants on staff: Kassie Stanfill, Alex Gray and Jennifer Gilbert.
While Perry has replaced some good coaches in her own right, Ball State's next coach will have to step into her shoes, having led her last two schools to record-breaking seasons in her final year.
“I wish her the very, very best, and we’re certainly going to miss her at Ball State," Gilbert said. "She’s an incredible coach and an incredible person.”
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