University of the Incarnate Word Athletics

Denise Lira joined the UIW softball program prior to the start of the 2013-14 school year.

In her first year with the program, the Cardinals went 21-31 and 7-14 in the Southland Conference.  She played a part in the team earning the NFCA NCAA Division I All-Academic Team award.  They finished eighth in the nation with a 3.57 GPA.  In addition, 13 members of the team were NFCA Scholar-Athletes.

Lira was the head coach at Concordia-Texas for three seasons prior to moving to UIW.  She guided the Tornados to their second-highest win total in school history when the team posted a 25-15 record overall, including a 14-10 mark in league play, and advanced to the American Southwest Conference Tournament in 2013.  She posted a record of 77-51 and never had a losing season during her tenure, while her .568 winning percentage is the best in school history.

All in all, Lira mentored a record 25 All-American Southwest Conference selections, including one ASC West Division Player of the Year, one ASC West Division Newcomer of the Year and one Academic All-American. Two of her athletes were named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Player of the Week.
 
Concordia’s softball team has also flourished in the classroom under Lira. The team posted a 3.35 grade point average during the 2012 fall semester, which ranked first among Concordia’s 13 varsity programs, and set records for having the most American Southwest Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll winners by producing five honorees in 2011 and seven in 2012.
 
Furthermore, Lira’s team contributed the most community service hours and initiatives during the 2012-13 academic year.  Members of the team volunteered their time at several Special Olympics Texas competitions, including flag football and bowling, and assisted at a kickball event with Central Texas Ability Sports.  The program also raised nearly $2,500 for charitable causes in less than a year.
 
Prior to Concordia, Lira spent eight seasons at Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton as a student-athlete and assistant coach.  She helped lead the Crusaders to seven ASC tournaments, three West Division titles and one NCAA Tournament appearance in both capacities.

Lira, who served as an assistant coach for five seasons, and the rest of the staff were named the 2008 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Regional Coaching Staff of the Year after advancing to the NCAA Regional Tournament.  The group was again honored in 2010 by earning the ASC West Division Coaching Staff of the Year following their third division title in four years.

Lira played two seasons for the Crusaders, earning All-West Division, and All-Conference laurels in both seasons and All-Tournament selection in 2003.  She also earned two letters at Ranger Junior College, where she garnered All-Conference first team accolades and was selected to the NJCAA All-Star Weekend, before transferring to Mary Hardin-Baylor.

A native of San Antonio, Lira earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise sport science with a minor in psychology from Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2004 and a master’s degree from the same institution in exercise sport science with an emphasis in sports management in 2008.  She attended Providence High School in San Antonio.