(February 2, 2021) Claremont, CA—Pomona-Pitzer Football announced today that Baleigh McCuskey has been promoted to Outside Linebackers Coach, joining the shortlist of female position coaches in NCAA Division III football. McCuskey previously served as the Director of Football Operations after she joined the Sagehen football staff in 2019.
“Baleigh is one of the hardest working coaches on the football staff,” said head coach John Walsh. “She never stops and is always looking to help develop the young talent in our program. She is a perfect fit for this position and we are so fortunate to have her on our staff.”
A native of Reno, Nevada, McCuskey is a 2019 graduate of Pomona College where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. She played four years of Softball at Pomona-Pitzer and was named team captain her senior year. McCuskey first came to coach Walsh’s attention as a softball player in 2015, when Walsh previously served as an assistant softball coach, and he was so impressed with her work ethic and leadership skills as a player that they remained in close contact over McCuskey’s career.
“Coach McCuskey’s promotion to Outside Linebackers Coach is great for so many reasons, we are really excited for the positive impact she will make on the program,” said Director of Athletics, Dr. Miriam Merrill. “Not only is this groundbreaking for our program, our conference, and DIII, the significance is magnified for the sport of college football. We recently witnessed an increased presence of women in football (e.g., Jennifer King and Sarah Fuller); and while the progression of women in this sport has been slow, I am so proud of how Coach Walsh and his program are helping to move the needle.”
McCuskey wore many hats during her time at Pomona-Pitzer. Outside of serving as the director of football operations, McCuskey is also an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Sagehens, an assistant coach for the Pomona-Pitzer softball team as well as a former student-athletic trainer during her undergraduate years.
“I am so thankful to Coach Walsh for this opportunity,” said McCuskey. “This football program has been my family for a long time, and I am so excited to take the next step in my career with them.”
Original release: https://pomona.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2020-21/releases/20210202ix43to
