CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Kim Schuette was hired as Southeast Missouri's Associate Director of Athletics for Administration & Senior Woman Administrator Monday.
A native of Itasca, Illinois, Schuette will oversee sports medicine, strength & conditioning and event management, and handle daily business operations in SEMO's Department of Athletics. She will also have sport oversight and serve as the department's human resources liaison and athletics diversity and inclusion designee.
No stranger to the Ohio Valley Conference, Schuette was a longtime veteran of the coaching profession with more than 400 softball wins. She served as head coach for 11 seasons across two stints at her alma mater, Eastern Illinois.
"I am thrilled to have Kim join our staff and know she is going to be a great addition to our senior leadership team," said Director of Athletics
Brady Barke. "Her familiarity with the OVC and her previous coaching experience will also be a tremendous resource for our coaches."
Schuette also held the role of EIU's Senior Woman Administrator since January of 2018. She spent 14 seasons as a head coach between EIU and Purdue before serving as pitching coach at Ole Miss in 2020.
"I am very excited to join Southeast Missouri State University and work alongside
Brady Barke, the coaches, staff, student-athletes, University and surrounding communities," said Schuette. "I want to thank President [Carlos] Vargas, Brady,
Nate Saverino, Coach [Tom] Matukewicz and the rest of the search committee for this opportunity."
In her lone season in Oxford, Schuette's pitching staff registered a 3.04 team ERA, surrendering a .256 average to opposing batters with 133 strikeouts in 166 innings of work.
In between her two stops at EIU, Schuette gained Power Five head coaching experience in the Big Ten, heading up the program at Purdue for three seasons from 2014-16.
The all-time wins leader at EIU, Schuette racked up an overall record of 312-271-1 during her time in Charleston. She twice led the Panthers to the OVC regular season title in 2011 and 2013, claiming OVC Coach of the Year honors both of those campaigns. In each of those seasons, Schuette coached the OVC Pitcher of the Year in Amber May (2011) and Hanna Mennega (2013).
In total, Schuette's EIU teams produced 25 All-OVC selections, with seven players being named to the NFCA All-Mideast Region Teams.
During her three-year stretch at Purdue, Schuette led the Boilermakers to an 85-81-1 record, registering five wins over top-25 teams. In 2015, Schuette's squad won 31 games, tied for the second most in a season at Purdue since 2008.
In her short stay, Schuette coached seven All-Big Ten performers, including three-time all-league pitching honoree Lilly Fecho. The Boilermakers boasted nine NFCA All-Mideast Region selections over Schuette's three seasons, as well.
Before joining the Division I ranks, Schuette made her head coaching debut in 2005, coaching one season at Division II Quincy University. She got her start in coaching as an assistant at San Jose State, coaching in the Bay Area for four years from 2001-04.
Schuette began her playing career at EIU, ultimately finishing her career at Indiana State. She earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana State in 2001 and a Master's from San Jose State in 2002.
Schuette and her husband, Jason, have two children.
"SEMO is a great institution and I hope to add to the impressive recent Athletic Department successes. I am ready to lead, support, empower and propel Team Redhawks as a premier Athletic Department on and off the field of play," added Schuette. "Let's go Team Redhawks!"
