After 12 incredible years with the Golden Bears, Amber Atha has announced she will be stepping away from her role as head coach of WVU Tech softball and cheerleading to pursue exciting new opportunities.

During her time in Beckley, Atha poured her heart into Golden Bear athletics. She guided softball to six postseason appearances and tallied nearly 200 wins, but her legacy goes far beyond the record book. Her vision and dedication were instrumental in the creation of Tech's home softball field at Fitzpatrick Park — a lasting gift that future Golden Bears will proudly call home.

Atha came to WVU Tech following coaching experience at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., and brought with her a strong playing background. She began her collegiate career at NCAA Division I Rider University before transferring to Rutgers–Newark, where she completed her playing days.

Her passion, energy and commitment to student-athletes have left a lasting mark on WVU Tech, and the Golden Bear family wishes her nothing but the best on her next adventure.

"It has been evident over the years just how much passion and commitment Coach Atha brought to her posts over the past 12 years," stated Kenny Howell, WVU Tech Director of Athletics. "The impact she has made on our program and the 240 plus student-athletes she has coached over the years, will forever be appreciated."

Assistant Coach Brandon Moore will handle the day-to-day operations of the team, while a search for a replacement commences.