UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. (JULY 12, 2005) - Penn State assistant women's golf coach Leighann Rastede has been hired as the new women's golf head coach at the University of Richmond, becoming the school's second head coach in the four-year history of the program.

Rastede, a two-year assistant under Penn State head coach Denise St. Pierre, joins former Penn State All-American Adam Decker at Richmond. Decker became the Spiders' men's golf head coach on June 1.

While at Penn State, Rastede served as a head instructor at the Penn State Golf Camps, and as an instructor at the Penn State Alumni golf schools.

"I am very excited for Leighann to be the next head coach at Richmond," said St. Pierre, who has been head coach at Penn State for the past 13 seasons. "She has a very bright future in front of her, and she will do a great job."

At Richmond, Rastede replaces LaRee Sugg, who started the Spiders' women's golf program three years ago before relinquishing her coaching duties following this past season to become Richmond's Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator.

"My experiences at Penn State were invaluable," said Rastede. "I thoroughly enjoyed working under Denise at Penn State. But I am also looking forward to taking all that I have learned to Richmond as I have been granted an outstanding opportunity there."

At 25 years of age, Rastede will be one of the youngest head coaches in the country. She graduated Cum Laude from Methodist College in 2002 with a double major in Business Administration and Marketing, recently completed the Golf Professional Training program for the PGA, and she was elected into membership in the PGA.

While at Methodist College, co-captained and helped her team capture the school's 15th national title in 2002. She was also named an NCAA All-American, Academic All-American, and Methodist College Senior Scholar Athlete.

"We are extremely excited to add Leighann Rastede to our coaching staff," said Sugg. "Her success as a high-achieving student-athlete, as well as her experience as one of only a handful of female Class "A" PGA teaching golf professionals makes her the ideal person to help our student-athletes navigate the path to success both on and off the golf course. Her strength as a teacher and natural abilities as a motivator will help her propel Spider golf to the next level."