Mike Smith is often credited with turning around the McNeese State softball program.

Smith led the Cowgirls to an upset of then-defending national champ and top-ranked Arizona State in 2012. He also helped lift the program’s profile by upgrading the schedule and facilities.

But before Smith there was another coach who got the Cowgirls headed in the right direction. She wasn’t known nationally at the time, but she left her mark on the university for sure.

After 11 consecutive losing seasons, McNeese turned to one of its own to guide the program out of darkness.

Former Cowgirls catcher Natalie Poole was named the new coach 14 years after her playing career ended. The three-time all-Southland player started her coaching career at McNeese as a graduate assistant after her playing days ended in 1997.

After leaving the school in 2001 to became a head coach, Poole returned for the top job in 2009. The Cowgirls softball program hasn’t had at losing season since.

“It is great to see what McNeese is doing now,” Poole said. “It gives me pride to have been a part of it both as a player and a coach. You love seeing your old school succeed.”

Poole left McNeese before the 2012 season to become the head coach at Memphis. She will bring her Tigers back to town for a second time this weekend to take part in a tournament.

“I’m excited to be coming back and playing,” Poole said. “Lake Charles is like my second home. “I come back to town a couple times a year. I will always hold a special place in my heart for McNeese.

“I will always be a Cowgirl.”

In Poole’s first season in charge of the Cowgirls they went 31-28, finishing second in the Southland Conference as she earned Coach of the Year honors. Over her three seasons at the helm of the Cowgirls, Poole’s teams finished 100-84, 55-35 in league play.

In her second season they won the conference title and set a then-school record for victories with 38. She also had 20 of her players earned SLC honors.

A lot has changed since her days on campus. The facilities have been upgraded and continue to be improved. And the Cowgirls are a postseason contender every spring.

“We didn’t have any lights, no storage, no pressbox, a chain-link fence was around the field and no indoor cages,” Poole said. “We had to carry our equipment back and forth from the recreation center every day.

“It is great to see the school and the fans put the resources into the program. They have shown that they want to see the program thrive and understand what it takes to make that happen.”

The field itself was on the site that now is home to a parking garage.

“It was a lot different,” Poole said. “We would have parents fix the field before and after games. There was no turf, just dirt. It was a different time.”

Yet Poole was still able to turn around the program despite the limited resources.

“You have to give the kids a lot of the credit that first year,” Poole said. “Players always wanted something to change, they just weren’t sure what needed to change. We got them to work hard and understand what we were trying to do.”

Since leaving Lake Charles, Poole has the Memphis program on solid ground. McNeese fans will get a chance to see that themselves this weekend.

As for the Cowgirls, Poole will get an up-close look at what she started.

“I truly enjoyed being a student there, competing for the Cowgirls on the field, and then having the honor of coaching and leading the softball program,” Poole said. “The people of Lake Charles always made me, both as an athlete and coach, feel valued and supported when I was there.”

McNeese softball has come a long way in the last 13 years and Poole can be proud of that.

After all, she may not get the credit, but she got the ball rolling.

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Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@yahoo.com