HR0409 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0409 LRB096 12732 KXB 26860 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate DePaul University Blue Demons Softball Coach Eugene Lenti on his 1,000th career victory; and

WHEREAS, Eugene Lenti recorded his 1,000th career victory on March 29, 2009, when the No. 21 ranked Blue Demons topped Providence 8-0 in the first game of a Big East Conference doubleheader; Coach Lenti has been at the helm of the DePaul program for 28 years, becomes the 12th NCAA Division 1 softball coach to eclipse the 1,000 win mark; the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Famer has taken four teams to the Women's College World Series while he has tutored 22 All-Americans; and

WHEREAS, 22 All-Americans have been crowned during Coach Lenti's tenure; Eight of his student-athletes have been named a conference Player of the Year and another nine have earned conference Pitcher of the Year accolades; seven DePaul players have won conference Rookie of the Year titles while still another 96 of his student-athletes have been named first team All-Conference and countless others have been named to second, third, and honorable mention all-league lists; and

WHEREAS, Coach Lenti believes that academics are a primary focus, and ensures that athletes come to DePaul to be students first and softball players second; under his direction 17 student-athletes have been named Academic All-Americans while 29 were named Academic All-District and 178 have earned academic distinction from the conference office; and

WHEREAS, He challenges his players to become better people while in his program and educates them about responsibility and accountability, qualities he demands both on the field and in the classroom; and

WHEREAS, In 1999 Coach Lenti and his staff were honored as the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year, while he was named the Mideast Coach of the Year; his staff was honored by the NFCA in 2007 and 2005 and were named Mideast Coaching Staff of the Year; he was named the Conference USA Women's Coach of the Decade in 2005 after amassing a 105-21 record during the six seasons the Blue Demons competed in Conference USA; he was also named the C-USA Softball Coach of the Decade; over the years, Coach Lenti and his staffs have been honored nine times as either the Conference Coach or Coaching Staff of the Year; and

WHEREAS, In 2006 Coach Lenti was inducted into the DePaul Athletic's Hall of Fame; he is a member of the 1979 class of DePaul University; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Coach Eugene Lenti and wish him continued success in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Coach Eugene Lenti as a symbol of our respect.