Coach

Galen Struve

The Rockhurst softball program enters its eighth year under the direction of Galen Struve, who is one of the most experienced coaches in the Midwest. The Hawks have won 122 games and earned two berths in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament over the past seven seasons.

Struve guided the Hawks to a 16-16 rcord in their first season in 2005 while playing as an independent with only 11 players. In his fourth season, the Hawks finished with their first winning record (28-20) and earned their first berth in the GLVC Tournament in 2008. Rockhurst also earned a berth in the 2011 GLVC Tournament.

In 1990, Struve began his college coaching career at William Jewell College, where he served as pitching instructor before taking over as head coach in 1992. His teams established school records for most wins in a season (28) and won back-to-back Heart of America Conference championships in 1992 and ’93. He was named HAAC Coach of the Year in 1993.

Struve served as the pitching instructor and recruiting coordinator at the University of Missouri-Kansas City before taking over as head coach in 1996. His 1999 team rewrote the UMKC record book in almost every offensive, pitching and defensive categories. UMKC established a school record for wins in a season in 1999 and 2000. The ’99 and ’00 teams both reached postseason play for the first time. While at UMKC, Struve served on the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional Rating Committee and was elected the Mid-Continent Conference softball representative to
the NCAA.

A two-year head coaching stint at Avila University in 2001-02 brought more challenges for Struve. Besides bringing a winning record (52-46) to the program, he founded the Annual Dennis Gault Memorial Tournament, one of the top ongoing NAIA tournaments in the Midwest.

Struve is a recognized fastpitch clinician and pitching instructor in the Kansas City metropolitan area, instructing on average 150 softball pitchers each year. Over the past 20 years, his summer competition teams have made seven ASA Regional appearances, four ASA National appearances, three AFA Nationals and numerous Metro Championships. He is actively involved in the Blue Springs Girls Athletic Association. He also played men’s competitive fastpitch softball on many levels for 23 years, primarily as a shortstop, pitcher and catcher.

In addition to coaching, Struve has been a free-lance illustrator and designer for more than 25 years. He is a graduate of the Omaha Art Institute and Kansas City Art Institute.

Struve and his wife, Elaine, make their home in Blue Springs, Mo. They have a daughter, Dana, and two granddaughters, Shayla and Emily.

Dana Goss, Assistant Coach

Dana Goss enters her fifth season assisting the Rockhurst softball program. She previously spent three years as the head coach at Maple Woods (Mo.) Community College where her teams rewrote the record books. Her teams set records for wins in 2005 and 2006. Her 2005 team won the regional title and placed fifth at the NJCAA Division I College World Series.

Coach Goss was voted the 2005 Region XVI Coach of the Year and was selected as a finalist for Midwest Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2006. She was the pitching coach at Avila University ihn 2007. Her pitching staff led the NAIA in numerous pitching categories and had the lowest ERA as a staff in program history.

She makes her home in Liberty, Mo., with her husband, Bret, and two children, Sydney and Easton.