DePaul hires Blue Demons softball Hall of Famer Liz Bouck-Jagielski as head softball coach

CHICAGO - DePaul is hiring a former assistant and an alumna to take over its softball program.

Liz Bouck-Jagielski was hired as the Blue Demons head softball coach, the university announced Tuesday.

"In many ways this feels like coming home. The DePaul family has always been good to me and I am grateful for all the years of success that we've shared," Bouck-Jagielski said in a written statement. "As I assume the role of head coach, the best is yet to come. It’s important to me to unite the past, present and future of DePaul softball to create the ultimate family powerhouse."

Bouck-Jagielski is the sixth head coach in program history. She comes to DePaul from Roosevelt University, where she was an assistant coach for the Lakers.

This past season, she helped lead the Lakers to a 11-5 record in conference play.

Bouck-Jagielski replaces former Blue Demons head coach Tracie Adix-Zins, who had a 125-133 overall record in six seasons as the head coach at DePaul, including a 9-38 record in the 2023-24 season. Adix-Zins was a former DePaul softball player, too.

"I am excited about bringing Liz Bouck-Jagielski back to DePaul," DePaul Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy said in a written statement. "Her passion, recruiting and teaching ability are pivotal attributes that we were looking for in a head coach and throughout this search. Liz’s work ethic is unmatched and she brings a wide variety of softball experience to the position. It’s a great day to be a Blue Demon."

Bouck-Jagielski was a former Blue Demon softball player from 2000 to 2003. Her four-year softball career earned her a spot in the DePaul Athletics Hall of Fame. Bouck-Jagielski helped lead the Blue Demons to four NCAA Tournaments and the program's second Women's College World Series in 2000. This earned her second-team All-American and Conference USA Player of the Year honors in 2002.

In her coaching career, Bouck-Jagielski has coached at DePaul and Northern Illinois to go along with her stint at Roosevelt University. Previously at DePaul, Bouck-Jagielski coached her alma mater from 2004 to 2011.

She's also known for coaching and mentoring high school athletes in the Chicagoland area for the past decade. In the release announcing her hiring, it states Bouck-Jagielski has been "vital in the development of high school athletes in preparation for college" in her time working with the Orland Park A’s and Extreme Elite programs.

Following her college career, Jagielski was chosen in the first round of the National Pro Fastpitch League by the Arizona Heat. She has also played with the Texas Thunder and the Chicago Bandits.