Gerice Olson has been elevated to associate head softball coach at North Dakota State University. The Bison are 76-35 over the past two seasons including 26-5 in Summit League regular season games. NDSU just missed the school record with .975 fielding percentage and hit over .300 for the fourth time over six seasons.
“Gerice’s role in our program has continued to grow as she has taken on more responsibilities,” said Mueller. “She has played an important role in the success of our program and more importantly her character and the example she sets for our young women is exceptional. I am grateful for her hard work and commit to this program.”
Olson returned to North Dakota State in July 2016 after four years at her high school alma mater Buffalo High School in Minnesota. She was an assistant coach for the Buffalo softball team that finished as runner-up in the state tournament in 2016 and made its first-ever state tournament appearance in 2015.
Prior to heading back to her hometown, Olson spent two seasons at UCF in Orlando, Florida, where the Knights compiled 61-51 record including a 26-22 ledger in Conference USA. The 2011 UCF team went 39-19 and advanced to the NCAA regional.
Olson spent five years (2006-10) as the head coach at NCAA Division II University of Mary, where she posted an overall record of 133-132 and led the Marauders to two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference postseason tournaments. She registered a winning record in four of the five seasons and a pair of student-athletes earned NFCA All-America honors.
Olson's head coaching career began at Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota, where she posted a 12-26 record in 2005. Olson served as a graduate assistant and then an assistant coach at South Dakota State University from 2002-04.
Her coaching resume includes a stop as the head girls’ softball coach at Buffalo High School in 2002, while also having been a student assistant coach at North Dakota State, a two-time assistant with USA Athletes International and a camp instructor at both Fastpitch Softball Development and Triple Crown Sports.
Olson played softball at North Dakota State from 1997-2000 and was one of two seniors on NDSU’s 2000 NCAA Division II national championship team. Olson earned a spot on the national championship and regional all-tournament teams. She was also a North Central Conference Player of the Week for the Bison, and was a two-time CoSIDA Academic all-district second team selection, a four-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete and earned Academic All-NCC honors.
Olson graduated from North Dakota State in 2000 with a bachelor's of science in physical education and earned her masters degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University at Irvine, California.
North Dakota State finished the season with a 42-16 record. The team won its eighth Summit League regular season and 10th tournament championship to advance to the NCAA tournament.