D.J. Mathis

Hometown: Alton, Ill. Position: Assistant Coach Alma Mater: Oklahoma, 2009

Former All-American softball player and two-time all-region selection D.J. Mathis has joined the University of Kansas softball program for the 2011 season as an assistant coach.

A native of Alton, Ill., Mathis served as a student assistant coach at Oklahoma for the 2010 season, during which the Sooners won the Big 12 Softball Championship and advanced to an NCAA Super Regional before wrapping their season with a 47-12 overall record. While on staff at OU, Mathis helped guide the Sooners into one of the top pitching squads in the country as Oklahoma was second in the nation with a 1.39 team ERA. She was also instrumental in developing All-Big 12 First-Team freshman pitcher Keilani Ricketts, who led the Big 12 with a 1.24 ERA and 32 wins.

The second overall pick in the 2009 National Pro Fastpitch Senior Draft by the Akron Racers, Mathis was a standout pitcher at the University of Oklahoma from 2006-09 and left OU as one of the most decorated pitchers in school history. She owns the program's second-best winning percentage (.768) after going 76-23 in four seasons with the Sooners and posted a 1.90 career ERA. She is listed in the top 10 of seven additional Oklahoma career pitching statistics including third in appearances (138) and victories (76), fourth in strikeouts (597), sixth in innings pitched (637.0) and games started (100), seventh in shutouts (25) and eighth in complete games (54).

During her career as a student-athlete, Mathis helped the Sooners to four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2007 Big 12 Softball Championship. A 2009 NFCA All-Central first team selection, Mathis was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team in her season campaign after going 18-4 on the year with a 2.25 earned run average. She also garnered second team All-America, first team all-Midwest region and All-Big 12 First Team accolades for her 31-7 record and 1.18 ERA as a junior in 2008.

A two-time all-American in softball at Roxana High School in Roxana, Ill., Mathis also earned all-state honors three times and is the Illinois state record holder with 1,450 career strikeouts.

In the summer following the 2011 season, Mathis and her husband, Kyle Sanchez, welcomed a new baby boy named Cal to their family.