Head softball coach Crystal Rosenthal named athletic director at Concordia University

Softball coach Crystal Rosenthal has been named new athletic director. (Photo courtesy CUI Athletics/Troy Makalena)

Officials at Concordia University Irvine announced Tuesday the promotion of head softball coach Crystal Rosenthal to full-time athletic director.

Rosenthal has served as the interim director of athletics since late March.  A CUI alum and former student-athlete on the Eagles softball team, Rosenthal will also continue to serve as CUI softball head coach for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.

“During these past few months, Crystal has displayed tremendous leadership and a tireless work ethic during an extremely challenging and unorthodox time,” said Tim Odle, who serves as the school’s associate vice president of athletics and facilities. “Her character, commitment and Christ-centered approach has helped us navigate these unchartered waters and confirmed what we already knew. She is the right person at the right time to lead CUI Athletics into the future.”

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve in this role,” said Rosenthal, “and I’m appreciative to President Thomas, Tim Odle and the administration for their confidence in me. I’m very thankful for all those who have mentored me over the course of my time here at Concordia and all those people who have played such a large role in my development. I look forward for the opportunity to continue working alongside all our coaches, our administration and all our student-athletes as we look forward to our new normal this year and beyond.”

A 2008 CUI Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Rosenthal has spent more than two decades evolving in various roles at Concordia.  She earned her bachelor’s in history and political science from Concordia, graduating in 2000, and earned her master’s in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia in 2006. After playing softball for the Eagles, she joined the coaching staff as an assistant under head coach Frank Rizzo before taking over for him in 2009.

Since then, Rosenthal has led the CUI softball team the past 12 seasons and enters the 2021 season with a career coaching record of 526-131-2. This includes back-to-back PacWest Conference titles during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns. She also led the Green and Gold to the program’s first NAIA National Championship in 2013.

A graduate of Valley Christian High School, Rosenthal was a four-year player at Concordia, and a team captain for two seasons.

–Ben Rosehart, Concordia Sports Information Director