Ray Harrington†

Pitching Coach Ray Harrington finished his coaching career at Pfeiffer University. Coach Harrington suddenly passed away in March of 2012 and continues to be missed by the entire Pfeiffer Softball family.

Prior to arriving at Pfeiffer, Harrington served three years as the pitching coach at Methodist University. Coach Harrington led the pitching staff at Methodist to a stellar 35-12 record in 2008 and a trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament. The 2008 season saw two members of his pitching staff rewarded including a first team All-Conference pitcher as well as the USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Year.

During the 2007 season, Ray and his pitching staff helped lead the Monarchs to a 33-10 season, earning the team back-to-back postseason tournament championships, and a bid to the regional tournament. He coached a first team All-Conference pitcher, an honorable mention All-Conference pitcher as well as the USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Year.

In 2006, Coach Harrington led the Methodist pitching staff to a 39-8 record while molding the USA South Conference Pitcher and Rookie Pitcher of the Year.  Methodist attained its highest ranking ever at number 7 and finished 11th in the final national poll.

Prior to working at Methodist Ray had a successful career coaching amateur softball in North Carolina. Coach Harrington has coached fast pitch softball since 1995 when high schools in North Carolina converted from slow pitch.  Ray became a pitching coach for the North Carolina Challengers Organization, one of the most successful traveling teams during the early 1990's.  During that time, the Challengers won the North Carolina State Games gold medal two years in a row and achieved a top 10 national ranking.  He was also the pitching coach for the Triangle Hurricanes and the Carolina Girls travel teams during the late 1990's.

Coach Harrington learned to pitch in Virginia where he grew up and eventually pitched in the Air Force in which he served from 1967 until 1971.  He pitched against the famous King and his Court team on two occasions, and wrote the script for a pitching instruction video that has been used across the country.

Ray earned a B.A.S. in the Administration of Justice from Guilford College and a Masters of Education from North Carolina State University.

Coach Harrington was also a Professor of Criminal Justice at Pfeiffer.