Mizzou Softball head coach Ehren Earleywine announced the addition of Adam LaLonde to his coaching staff on Friday morning. LaLonde becomes the Tigers’ newest Assistant Coach and Director of Recruiting.
“Adam had the pedigree and personality that I was looking for in our program’s new assistant coach,” Earleywine said. “His business as a private pitching and hitting instructor is/was booming and he played at the highest level of Men’s Fastpitch for many years. He’s basically won at everything he’s ever done. Most importantly, he’s a great guy. I can’t wait to work with him.”
“First off, I want to thank Coach E for reaching out and giving me this opportunity,” LaLonde said. “I’ve had the honor of being his teammate while winning a Gold Medal in 2002 with the USA National Team and now I have the opportunity to coach with him at the University of Missouri. This is an even bigger honor for myself. I’m looking forward to continuing the winning tradition that he has brought to this program and bringing home some national championships to Columbia. I want to thank my wife, Chrissie, and my two boys, Tyson and Colton, for jumping on board for our new adventure. We were able to visit Columbia a few weeks ago and we fell in love with the area and university.”
LaLonde brings over 20 years of professional softball playing and coaching experience to the Mizzou Softball program. The Ashland, Ky., native burst onto the men’s professional softball scene in 1999, earning First Team Amateur Softball Association (ASA) All-American honors with the Bay Area All-Stars. In 2001, LaLonde and the Midland Explorers finished in 9th place in the ASA Men’s Major Fast Pitch Championship.
As a member of the USA Softball Men’s National Team, LaLonde earned a gold medal at the 2002 Pan Am Qualifier in Guatemala City, Guatemala. He also competed in the Canada Skins Games in Victoria, B.C., Canada, later that season.
From 2003-07, LaLonde continued to accumulate impressive accolades as one of the top hitters in men’s professional softball. In 2003, he was a silver medalist with the USA Softball Men’s National Team. The following season, LaLonde earned another First Team ASA All-American recognition.
LaLonde’s top playing performance occurred in 2005, as he yet again tallied First Team ASA All-American honors, while playing for the ASA National Champions Tampa Bay Smokers organization. He hit a record .711 in the Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship, capturing his first ever batting title. In 2006, LaLonde led the USA Men’s National Team to a 1st place finish at the AAU International Championship in Orlando, Fla.
As a top pitching and hitting instructor, LaLonde has recently led the Adam LaLonde ASA USA Softball Training Academy in Huntington, W.Va.
LaLonde is married to his wife, Chrissie, as the two will make the trek to Columbia, Mo. LaLonde has a 10-year-old son, Tyson and four-year-old son, Colton.
