Laura Berg

American softball coach and former player

Laura Kay Berg (born January 6, 1975) is an American college softball head coach for Oregon State and a former collegiate four time All American and Olympian. She played for the Fresno State Bulldogs from 1994–98, where she won the 1998 Women's College World Series and owns the Western Athletic Conference career records in hits, runs and triples. She is one of only four women to have won four Olympic medals in softball, having won a medal at every Olympics the sport was contested. She is second all time in NCAA Division I career hits and at bats. She is also a USA Softball Hall of Fame honoree.

Berg was born in Whittier, California and raised in nearby Santa Fe Springs, graduating from Santa Fe High School in 1993. Berg and her twin sister enrolled at Fresno State and started for the school's softball team. In her first season, she was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Third Team All American. The Bulldogs made it to the WCWS and took their first game before dropping back to back shutout games against eventual champions the Arizona Wildcats and the Oklahoma State Cowgirls on May 27, 1994. Berg had two hits in the tournament. As a sophomore, Berg would earn First Team All American honors while hitting over .400 and setting a new school season record for triples, which also led the WAC conference. She currently still claims that record. After red shirting to compete at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Berg returned and once again earned NFCA First Team honors. She joined school elite with top 5 season records in batting average, hits (led the WAC), doubles and triples. She also managed to reach the 7th best season hits total all time for an NCAA season, which now ranks in the top 15. In her second WCWS appearance, Berg and the Bulldogs were shutout in their first game but rebounded strongly by winning their next three including shutting out eventual champion Arizona Wildcats in the semifinals. Berg hit a double and scored the eventual winning run. In the second game of the doubleheader, Berg singled in her first two at bats and scored each time to take the lead, however, Arizona tied the score immediately and went on to win 6–3 on May 25, 1997. For her senior campaign, Berg was named 1998 First Team All American for a final time. The senior achieved a career best batting average (led the WAC as well as a school record in runs. Her stolen bases ranked top 5 for a Bulldog season. Beginning April 17 until May 8, Berg would go on a 29 consecutive game hit streak, a career best and the NCAA's 6th best all time. Returning to the WCWS, the team began its march by defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers 6–1 on May 21 with Berg scoring the eventual winning run. They mercy ruled Michigan Wolverines before losing to the Washington Huskies in the semifinals on May 24. Berg and teammates responded by besting the Huskies by 5 runs in the rematch, Berg led off with a single and helped stake the Bulldogs to a first inning two run lead to make it into their school's 5th finals appearance. Berg had a hit and won the title on teammate Nina Lindenberg's solo home run to defeat the two time defending champions the Arizona Wildcats. For the tournament, Berg hit .470 (8/17) with 2 RBIs to be named All Tournament. Berg would graduate as the school career record holder in hits, triples, runs and stolen bases. Her NCAA career puts her second in hits and at bats all time for a career.

Berg would also join the United States national team in 1994, participating in the 1994 ISF Women's World Championship, where the US team won the gold medal. In 2006 Berg won her fourth consecutive World Championship in Beijing. Berg did not play in the gold medal game but did hit .500 for the tournament highlighted by a diving catch to save Monica Abbott's perfect game vs. the Netherlands on August 17. After the finals, Berg along with teammates retired from international competition.

Berg joined the staff at the Oregon State Beavers program in 2011. In 2012, she helped coach them to a regional appearance. She was named Oregon State's head coach on August 27, 2012. In 2006, Berg was named to 25th Anniversary WCWS Team. In 2012, she along with her 2004 Team USA teammates were named to the Olympics Hall of Fame.

YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA 1994 65 238 42 83 .348 20 2 5 4 103 .433% 4 8 5 6 1995 69 238 62 101 .424 31 1 11 13 139 .584% 10 3 11 13 1997 69 245 69 104 .424 34 2 7 16 140 .571% 5 2 7 8 1998 63 236 72 108 .457 16 1 2 3 118 .500% 2 4 16 17 TOTALS 266 957 245 396 .414 101 6 25 36 500 .522% 21 17 39 44

YEAR AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA 1996 22 2 6 .272 0 0 0 1 7 .318% 0 0 0 0 2000 38 2 6 .158 0 0 0 0 6 .158% 0 2 0 0 2004 130 37 47 .361 23 2 1 3 55 .423% 2 2 4 4 2008 100 59 46 .460 11 0 2 4 54 .540% 7 3 1 2 TOTALS 290 100 105 .362 34 2 3 8 125 .431% 9 7 5 6