Per numerous media reports, the University of Oregon has found its new softball coach. The Oklahoman reported late Saturday night that long-time Oklahoma Sooner assistant coach Melyssa Lombardi would become the next Duck softball coach. She replaces Mike White who left to take the job at Texas last month.

Lombardi has played for or worked with legendary Sooner coach Patty Gasso for the better part of three decades. She played for Oklahoma from 1995-96, followed by a stint as a graduate assistant and then as an assistant coach for the last 21 seasons. She has focused her time with the team's pitchers, and has held the title of associate head coach since 2007.

Oklahoma has enjoyed tremendous success with Gasso and Lombardi teaming up to lead the program. They have won four national titles, with three coming over the past five years.

Lombardi wil have big shoes to fill in Eugene. White, who left to coach the Longhorns on June 25, has overseen the best stretch of success in program history. In his nine years, the Ducks have five Pac-12 championships and reached the Women's College World Series five times. Prior to his appointment in 2010, the program had no conference titles and just one WCWS appearance. He finished with a 435-111-1 record.

The Ducks won the Pac-12 title a year ago and earned the nation's top seed entering the NCAA tournament. They won reached Oklahoma City, won its opener over Arizona State before losing consecutive games to Washington and Florida State.

Lombardi will inherit a talented roster should each piece remain in place. The Ducks had two of the nation's best arms last year in All-Americans Megan Kleist and Miranda Elish. They'll also return each starter in the outfield including all-conference player Alexis Mack and Haley Cruse. The Ducks should be contenders yet again to win a Pac-12 title.