UCCS softball adds former star player as assistant coach

When UCCS softball coach Scott Peterson looked to fill out his coaching staff, he investigated numerous avenues and explored several candidates.
 
He could have saved himself some time by just looking through the UCCS records book.
 
Becki Pepper joins the Mountain Lions staff for the 2009-10 season. She brings with her a strong resume as both a player and coach.
 
“I think it’s great; I think I can bring a lot to the program,” said Pepper. “I’m excited about coming back to my old school and helping out.”
 
When Pepper, who was then known as Becki Leopoldus, graduated from UCCS in 1998, she held the school records for batting average, home runs, RBIs, doubles, stolen bases, hits, runs and at bats. Equally impressive is that, despite a long list of big hitters at UCCS over the past decade, Pepper still ranks among the top 10 in each of those categories. In fact, her 52 career doubles still tops the school’s career list and her .413 career batting average ranks No. 4.
 
She was named All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference three times, once as a shortstop and twice as a catcher, and was also named all-region twice, once at each position. She was the UCCS female athlete of the year in 1998.
 
But Pepper’s status as one of the best athletes to ever don a UCCS uniform isn’t what caught Peterson’s attention. Since graduating, she has scripted a coaching resume’ that made her Peterson’s ideal choice to help lead the Mountain Lions.
 
Pepper is entering her fourth season as a coach for the Rampart High School softball team. Her first season with the Rams was as the JV coach, after which she served a half season as the varsity assistant before taking over the head coaching position in 2007. Prior to Rampart, she was the varsity assistant and Lewis-Palmer High School for two years and also spent two seasons as the JV coach at Liberty High School.
 
Additionally, Pepper has coached all age groups with the prestigious Colorado Quicksilver Club Program since 1998 and was a coach for the Colorado Comets during the summers of 1995-96.
 
“We’re excited to add Becki to the staff,” said Peterson. “She’s very familiar with UCCS and the RMAC. Her coaching experience in both high school and in club ball makes her very familiar with the players and coaches throughout Colorado.”
 
Before coming to UCCS as a player, Pepper led Gateway High School to the state championship in 1993. That same season, she was named first-team all-state.

-- Doug Fitzgerald