Alabama signs Adam Arbour as assistant softball coach

Alabama has signed Adam Arbour as its new assistant softball coach, the team announced on Monday. He will primarily coach batters and catchers.

Arbour will serve as the third assistant coach, which allows Ryan Iamurri to be elevated to a full-time role as the team’s Coordinator of Player Management. Iamurri’s role will have her oversee the responsibilities compiling on-field data for all positions, and break down offensive and defensive analytics.

Iamurri’s was previously a volunteer assistant coach for the Crimson Tide for the past two years after playing for Alabama from 2011-14. She was a part of three SEC championship teams and helped lead the Tide to the 2012 national championship.

“Adam Arbour and Ryan Iamurri are two of the best people I know,” UA head softball coach Patrick Murphy said, per release. “We are so fortunate to have both of them in our program right now. They are both former national champions at Alabama and know how important softball is to our community.”

Arbour served as the Crimson Tide’s Coordinator of Player Management in 2022 and has two previous stints as a volunteer assistant with the program from 2011-14 and 2015-17. He comes in having served as a student manager under Carol Hutchins at Michigan, as well as an assistant at Iowa.

Montana Fouts shares key to growing college softball

Alabama Crimson Tide star pitcher Montana Fouts is one of the most exciting players in the entire sport, and most will tune in just to watch her play. But how do you keep interest growing and eyeballs moving towards the field?

Fouts believes it all begins with pushing views and getting more talented squads on television on a regular basis.

“Honestly I would just say push the views and things like that,” Alabama’s star pitcher explained back in June. “Like [head coach Patrick Murphy] said, it’s well watched on TV. A lot of people are loving it and keeping up with it. 

“Getting a lot of teams, not just in the SEC, across the country, just more visual TV, people can turn on and watch anybody that they want to, I think that’s really key in growing it.”

It all sounds so simple, and while women’s sports have struggled in the past, it seems as if we’re entering a more affluent era in that realm. With athletes like Montana Fouts leading the charge, it’s easy to see why.

On3’s Stephen Samoa contributed to this report.