The Rockhurst softball program enters its fourth year under the direction of Galen Struve, who is one of the most experienced coaches in the Midwest.

Struve coached Rockhurst to a 16-16 finish in their first season while playing as an independent with only 11 players. The Hawks won 24 games in their first two seasons in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

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, who is married to Shawn Hill, and two granddaughters, Shayla and Emily.