Skagit Valley College Welcomes New Cardinal Softball Coaching Staff
Skagit Valley College Athletics is excited to welcome Head Coach Lance Lopez and Assistant Coach Savannah Smith as the new leaders of the Cardinal Softball program. Together, they bring over 20 years of combined coaching and playing experience to the Skagit Valley community. Their commitment to player development, team culture, and academic excellence will be instrumental in shaping the next generation of Cardinal student-athletes.
Skagit Valley College is proud to introduce Lance Lopez as the new Head Coach for Cardinal Softball. With more than two decades of coaching experience across multiple sports and levels, Coach Lopez brings a dynamic and relationship-driven approach to the program.
He has served as a lead instructor at D-BAT Skagit Valley, providing expert training in all areas of softball and baseball. His coaching career includes roles at the youth, travel, high school, and collegiate levels. From 2020 to 2024, Lopez was the Head JV and Assistant Varsity Softball Coach at Mount Vernon High School, helping guide the team to district tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023. He previously served as an Assistant Coach at Skagit Valley College from 2017 to 2019, helping lead the Cardinals to an NWAC Tournament appearance.
Coach Lopez's diverse coaching background also includes basketball, where he most recently served as the Head Boys Basketball Coach at La Conner High School. He has held coaching positions at Sedro-Woolley High School, Cascade Middle School, and with Sedro-Woolley SWISH Basketball.
His extensive softball experience includes leadership roles with top-level travel ball organizations:
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Head Coach, Triple Threat 12U–16U
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Assistant Coach, 16U/18U Rising Stars Fastpitch
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Assistant Coach, 18U Khoas Fastpitch
A former student scorekeeper for the Cardinal Softball team, Lopez has a long-standing connection to Skagit Valley College. His coaching philosophy emphasizes building strong relationships, instilling player confidence, and developing well-rounded student-athletes on and off the field.
Joining Coach Lopez on the sidelines is Assistant Coach Savannah Smith, a proud Skagit Valley College alum who brings a standout collegiate playing career and a growing resume of coaching experience.
From 2019 to 2021, Savannah starred for the Cardinals, earning NWAC North Region Top Performer recognition and finishing second in the conference with 111 strikeouts in 2021. She returned to SVC in 2024 as a volunteer pitching coach and has served as a pitching instructor at D-BAT Skagit Valley since 2021.
Smith transferred to Arizona Christian University, where she continued to shine. From 2021 to 2024, she was a two-time GSAC Scholar-Athlete, a 2023 GSAC All-Conference honoree, and a two-time CSC/COSIDA Academic All-American/All-District selection.
Savannah made history at ACU, setting numerous all-time program records:
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Most Innings Pitched: 523.0, Most Wins: 50, Most Saves: 9, Most Appearances: 111, Most Starts: 80, Most Complete Games: 51, Most Shutouts: 10, Most Strikeouts: 485, Most Strikeouts Looking: 129, Most Batters Faced: 2,186, Most No-Hitters: 2
She also posted an outstanding career ERA of 0.232 and finished 30 games during her time at ACU.
With Coach Lopez's leadership and Coach Smith's expertise, the future of Cardinal Softball is bright. Skagit Valley College Athletics is thrilled to welcome them both to the Cardinal family.
For more information and updates, please visit the social media links below or skagit.edu/athletics.
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