EUGENE — The Oregon Ducks have hired Oklahoma associate head softball coach Melyssa Lombardi as head coach.

Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens made the announcement Monday.

Lombardi guided Oklahoma’s pitchers and catchers for the past 21 years and helped the Sooners win four national titles. A former all-conference catcher for the Sooners, she coached the Oklahoma battery to a combined 20 All-America honors, 37 All-Region accolades and 77 All-Big 12 honors.

Lombardi has huge shoes to fill. She will replace Mike White, who left Oregon for Texas. White led the Ducks to five Women’s College World Series trips in nine seasons. The Ducks earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this past season before being eliminated by eventual national champion Florida State. White went 435-111-1 at Oregon with five Pac-12 titles the past six years.

“Melyssa Lombardi is one of the brightest minds in college softball and has played a key role in Oklahoma’s sustained success over the last 21 years,” Mullens said. “Her commitment to the student-athlete experience and building a championship culture were the ideal fit with our program.”

According to a UO news release, Lombardi will be officially introduced as the Ducks’ head coach in a press conference on July 16 at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.

—Bulletin staff report