Mater Dei Coach to Resign

Cathy Quesnell, whose Mater Dei softball team was ranked No. 1 in Orange County this season, has resigned effective after the team’s final playoff game.

The Monarchs (18-1-1) are the top-seeded team in the Southern Section Division 5-A playoffs. They beat Marina, 4-0, in a first-round game last week and play either Pacifica or Cerritos in the quarterfinals Thursday.

Quesnell has a 124-46-5 record in seven seasons at Mater Dei and has guided the Monarchs to three consecutive Angelus League championships.

“The main reason (for stepping down) was that my husband and I thought it was time to concentrate on starting a family,” Quesnell said.

Quesnell also coached at Garden Grove High from 1979 to 1981 and was an assistant women’s basketball coach at Cypress College in 1984. She will remain at Mater Dei as a science teacher.

“Coaching is in my blood. There’s no doubt about that,” Quesnell said. “Mostly what I’ll miss is the kids. That’s the hard part.”