Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Matt Mead (2nd Season) 
Office Phone: (217) 726-1677
Mobile Phone: (217) 415-7009
Email: mmead@robertmorris.edu
Springfield, IL – Matt Mead has been chosen to take the helm of the Robert Morris Women’s Softball program at the University's Springfield, IL campus. This means additional coaching responsibility for Mead as he is also the Head Coach of the Springfield Eagles Women’s Basketball squad.
"During Coach Mead’s first season with the basketball program, he has proven to be an outstanding leader for our athletes, and that leadership and success will transfer from the basketball court to the softball diamond. One of the keys to his success in basketball has been his proven ability to recruit. I look forward to Matt's growing our women’s softball program to even greater heights.”
“Coach Mead will bring the same type of leadership and coaching experience to the table Coach Ferrill brought to his stewardship of our softball program the past two seasons. His familiarity with Robert Morris University will assist him in his new role," added Ryan.
Coach Mead’s past experience includes coaching summer travel ball in softball and baseball. During 2007, Coach Mead’s summer travel baseball team, the Petersburg Jays, were one of only eight teams to qualify from a four-state region for the Bronco League North Zone Tourney.
Robert Morris-Springfield Eagles' overall records
2010: 38-12 - 1st Place USCAA National Championship
2009: 23-13 - 2nd Place USCAA National Championship
2008: 27-14 - 2nd Place USCAA National Championship
2007: 31-10 - 3rd Place USCAA National Championship
2006: 31-19 - 1st Place USCAA National Championship
2005: 29-25 - USCAA National Qualifier
2004: 15-28 - Inaugural Season
Assistant Coach: Boyd Nowicki (2nd Season) 
Office Phone: (217) 726-1677
Mobile Phone: (217) 306-0578
Email: bnowicki@robertmorris.edu
Coach Nowicki hails from Mukwonago, WI and a 1991 graduate of Morrison Institute of Technology with a degree in Building construction. Coach Nowicki has been working for Crawford, Murphy & Tilly Inc. (Consulting Engineering Firm in Springfield, IL.) for the past 20 years in the firms Aviation Design and Aviation Planning departments where he develops Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for airports through-out the country.
Before joining RMU-Springfield, Coach Nowicki spent the previous 2 years assisting coaching at the high school and Jr. High School levels. Coach Nowicki also spent time as a head coach for competitive ASA summer teams ranging in age groups from 10u-14u for Clubs Inferno, Fusion and Chaos in the Springfield, IL area and is still actively assisting coaching the Chaos 14u here in Springfield Illinois.
“It’s not about the wins or loses at those levels. It’s about teaching! I love teaching and developing the younger Athletes. To watch them progress as an athlete as well as a person is something special and very rewarding to me. That’s what it’s all about.”
Coach Nowicki also prides himself on staying physically fit and works diligently teaching his athletes on being physically fit in preparation for competition. This stems from his years of playing baseball, football and weight training.
“Growing up my coaches always challenged us to be quicker, stronger and better. It wasn’t always easy and plenty of times you wanted to quit. That taught me a lot; not only about how to handle things on the field but off the field as well. I don’t quit, and I teach my players not to quit also. Being physically fit also requires you to be mentally fit as well. They go hand-in-hand and you can’t have one without the other. We are teaching our players how to push past sticking points and helping them break goals and developing new ones. I truly believe that lessons like this that happen on the field or in the weight room carry over with them outside of this sport and gives them the willingness to defy any odds in front of them through-out life.”
Currently Coach Nowicki resides in Petersburg, IL with his wife of 20 yrs. and four daughters Samantha, Kayla, Ali and Riley
"I am very excited to be coaching here at RMU. This program has had a lot of success on and off the field in its past and I am looking forward to the challenge of carrying that successful tradition on into the future. I want RMU-Springfield to be a top choice for softball players. Not just because of our success on the field, but also because how our program stresses the importance of the athlete’s education and the family environment we can offer them” – Go Lady Eagles!
Assistant Coach: Gina Merano (1st Season) 
Office Phone: (217) 726-1677
Mobile Phone: (217) 820-2308
A 1985 graduate of Kincaid High School, Merano was a three-sport high school student-athlete. She was named All-Conference all four years in softball, basketball, and volleyball. Merano was also the starting shortstop for her competitive fast-pitch softball team that won a 1984 ASA National Championship.
She returned to Kincaid in 2005 to help coach the Kincaid Ponies Junior High School Volleyball team, which won an IESA Regional Championship that year. From 2006-2009 Merano was head coach for the Ponies girls’ basketball team. During those years, she coached her teams to the IESA State Tournament two years in a row, placing 3rd in 2007 and 4th in 2008.
Merano was named the 2007-2008 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District #18 Coach of the Year.
Coach Merano has been active in softball as a player and coach for over 37 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the field for RMU. She has been the Assistant Jr. High Coach for Edinburg School District for the past five years. In 2008, she helped coach her team to an IESA Regional championship.
Merano has been coaching girl’s summer recreational and competitive select teams for over 10 years. During that time, she helped coach the Her-A-Canes softball team to an ASA Class “B” State Championship and has qualified for national tournaments many times.
“Coaching has always been a passion of mine. I love the game of softball and enjoy working with the players. I am very excited to be a part of this great program and look forward to coaching with Coach Mead and Coach Nowicki.”