Dow in Line for Position at Moorpark

De Dow, an assistant softball coach at Moorpark College the past three seasons, will become the school’s head coach if approved by the Ventura County Community College District board at its Sept. 7 meeting.

John Keever, Moorpark athletic director, said the school has recommended Dow for the post.

Dow, 25, will replace Will Thurston, who resigned after last season. Thurston coached the Raiders for 10 seasons and won nine Western State Conference titles, including the past seven.

Thurston passed out in May and underwent a battery of tests that could not determine the cause. He later decided to concentrate on his job as offensive coordinator for the Raider football team.

It will be the first head-coaching position for Dow, who coached the Raiders in the Southern California regionals during Thurston’s absence last season. She never anticipated the job might be hers.

“I was planning on becoming a head coach someplace else, but I never knew this kind of thing would happen,” Dow said. “It’s a great opportunity for me. I’m starting like he did. It’s another challenge for me to try and keep the winning tradition he started.”

Dow graduated from Canoga Park High and was a junior college All-American pitcher at Moorpark. In 1989, the right-hander set school single-season records with 30 victories, 21 shutouts, an 0.43 earned-run average, 276 innings pitched and two perfect games.

She played the following season at Cal State Northridge.