By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Softball Beat Reporter
Third-year head coach Tammy Lohmann has SJSU pacing to become college softball’s next great Cinderella story | Photo courtesy SJSU Athletics
Oftentimes, the postseason marks the end of a team’s journey. But for San Jose State softball and third-year head coach Tammy Lohmann, it’s a season of new beginnings.
Lohmann’s helped navigate SJSU through recent turbulent times toward possibly becoming college softball’s next greatest Cinderella story this spring. The No. 4 seed Spartans will open up the 2023 Mountain West Softball Championship against No. 5 seed Fresno State this Thursday at 10 a.m.
“Are we at where we want to be at? No. But we are in a good spot now to continue the climb,” said Lohmann, who was an assistant coach at Cal Berkeley for 16 years before arriving to SJSU.
The Lohmann era began when two Bay Area coaching dynasties came to an abrupt and unexpected end in 2020.
The first came in March of 2020 when Cal head coach Diane Ninemire stepped down after 32 seasons due to health reasons. An utter shock for Lohmann and the Golden Bears faithful. Ninemire was a two-time national coach of the year and 2002 national champion.
“I knew eventually it would come down to that. I never thought she’d leave in the middle of the season,” said Lohmann, who was named interim head coach before COVID-19 cut the season short.
Lohmann interviewed to replace the highly-decorated Ninemire, but wasn’t selected. “They hired who they hired and we both go our own direction,” she said.
While Lohmann searched for a new place to call home, SJSU softball found itself searching for a new leader, too.
In the summer of 2020, SJSU head coach Peter Turner, one of the highest-achieving coaches in SJSU Athletics history, didn’t have his contract renewed after 14 largely successful seasons. The move upset some players at the time.
So Ninemire contacted former SJSU AD Marie Tuite, who previously spent time at Cal, about Lohmann filling in for Turner. Within a few months, she was hired.
“I know that I was blessed with an opportunity to take over a program that played in a very competitive conference, has a great facility, has a lot of pluses to bring to it,” said Lohmann.”It was just get in the car and go and drive and see what was going to happen.”
However, Lohmann used a different driving metaphor when she described taking over SJSU at the peak of COVID-19.
“I felt like it was a car going back and forth and not getting into parallel park. I couldn’t get in to parallel park ever,” said Lohmann.
She did her best to connect with players during that time and develop a rapport. Although, of course, all done through Zoom meetings and phone calls.
“I always tell everybody, ‘I would suggest never take a program over during COVID,'” she cracked.
SJSU’s leading slugger Alyssa Graham remembers “getting a good sense” of who Lohmann was the first time they talked over the phone.
“I got to tell her that I like to chill out and lay on the floor and she accepted it,” chuckled senior Alyssa Graham. It caught Lohmann off guard, but she gave Graham the freedom to do what she needed.
Once players arrived back on campus, Lohmann’s head became a COVID-19 pinball machine of uncertainty.
“We didn’t know if we are going to play, not play, play conference, play non-conference, could we practice? Could we not practice? Could we practice in small groups? Can they throw with each other? Can they touch the same ball?” Lohmann frantically pondered.
The Spartans struggled in Lohmann’s first two seasons. They went a combined 31-52 while finishing under .300 in conference play.
“The first year was really rough, I was like, ‘That’s was a trial run, it’s OK we’ll get at it next season,” said Graham. “The second season was still rough, but I was like, ‘OK, but we’re slowly getting better.”
The Spartans headed into 2023 with a tight-knit core of veterans, but the biggest shift was the Mountain West announcing a new six-team playoff format. A move that drastically shifted SJSU’s postseason hopes and aspirations.
“We actually put it on a poster board. It’s in the locker room so they can see that in regards to what they wanted to achieve,” said Lohmann.
In previous seasons, only the conference champion during the regular season was awarded an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. However, the automatic bid is now awarded to the winner of the tournament.
The credo became: Just get in and see what happens.
While the 2023 campaign featured its rough patches the poster and postseason format helped prevent SJSU from spiraling.
“They walk out every day and see it. Anytime you can put something visually for them to see daily it just keeps them reminded of their destiny is where they want to go,” said Lohmann.
And from there, Graham’s previous intuition that SJSU was “getting better” developed into fruition.
By season’s end, SJSU finished .500 finish in conference play. A vast improvement from previous seasons.
Graham led the team in batting average for the fifth consecutive season and closed out her decorated SJSU campaign by reaching base at a gaudy .462 clip.
What’s more, senior Jenessa Ullegue blanked Mountain West foes all season. She tied for the league lead in wins (14) and finished top five in ERA (2.54), opponents batting average (.226), and strikeouts (107) in the Mountain West this season.
Wearing the glass slipper starts with Graham and Ullegue, both named to the 2023 All-Mountain West team, playing at the peak of their powers.
No. 4 seed SJSU’s first round matchup against No. 5 seed Fresno State is a loser goes home affair. If SJSU wins, they’ll play No. 1 seed Boise State later that day as the tournament then shifts into a double-elimination setting.
“I feel like we’ve been through a lot these last three years so if we’re able to get to the championship then all these troubles will mean something and we all went through it for a reason,” said Graham.
And they have just the right person to lead them now and for seasons to come in Lohmann
“It’s the Raiders motto: “Just win, baby” said Lohmann.