Cassidy Clayton Joins Richard Bland Softball/Athletics Department
SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, Va. – Richard Bland College Director of Athletics Chuck Moore has announced the appointment of Cassidy Clayton as an assistant softball coach/assistant to the athletics department. Clayton has served as an assistant coach at Bridgewater College since August 2015. She is a 2014 graduate of James Madison University where she was a four-year member of the softball team, helping the Dukes to a pair of NCAA Regional Tournament appearances (2013, 2014) as well as the 2014 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular season and tournament championships.
"Cassidy is another great addition to an already phenomenal coaching staff here at Richard Bland," explained Moore. "She will relate very well with the student-athletes being a former Division I student-athlete and also coaching at the four-year level. We are excited to have someone of her caliber join our program and help elevate us to a national level."
At Bridgewater, Clayton assisted with all aspects of recruiting, practice plans and execution, along with game day operations. She led hitting, outfield and catching instruction, while assisting with infield and pitching instruction. Clayton organized and facilitated team community service projects, team building and bonding activities, as well as team fundraising.
"I am extremely excited to join the Richard Bland family and Coach Lampman's staff," said Clayton. "Developing student-athletes to succeed in all facets of college athletics is something I am truly passionate about. The commitment to excellence within the entire athletic department projects throughout all the sports teams and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it all."
Prior to Bridgewater, Clayton worked at Rip City Sports & Fitness Training in Sterling during 2014-15, serving as a senior softball instructor. She provided instruction via private lessons, small groups and camps. Clayton planned and executed strategic marketing strategies for seasonal camps throughout the fall, winter and spring seasons, as well.
Clayton also served as an assistant softball coach at Freedom High School in South Riding during 2015. She assisted with player development, including hitting and outfield instruction, infield, base running and mental strength skills. Clayton helped coach at her alma mater, Acton (Mass.) Boxborough High School, during 2013.
At JMU, Clayton began her collegiate career as an infielder and utility player as a freshman before moving to the outfield for two years while playing first base as a senior. The Dukes finished 29-23 in 2011 and 30-26 in 2012 before back-to-back 40-win campaigns. JMU was 42-17 in 2013, advancing to an NCAA Regional at the University of Tennessee (1-2), before finishing 45-15 in 2014, winning CAA regular season and conference tournament titles en route to an NCAA Regional at the University of Kentucky (1-2). She was named All-CAA Second Team and All-State Second Team by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) in 2014.
Clayton has numerous experiences in working softball camps and clinics at James Madison (2013-16), the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City (2016), Tuckahoe Sports Academy (2016), Acton Boxborough (2014) and Carolina Elite (2005-08). She has additional work experience at JMU as a trades technician with responsibilities in landscaping, and she completed two undergraduate internships at Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation in Waltham, Massachusetts (2012, Sales & Marketing; 2011, Event Planning).
Clayton earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from James Madison, where she was a four-year member of the JMU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (2011-14). She has volunteered in the JMU Sports Media Office since June 2015.