Softball: Cuevas takes over as head coach at Woodbridge

Courtney Cuevas can't wait for spring. 

Cuevas, a Woodbridge High School alum, was named the new head softball coach by the Board of Education on Thursday night. 

Cuevas will take over for Amanda Small, who resigned as coach after three seasons. 

"She has a lot of knowledge and love for the game of softball, and we look forward to her taking the reins," Woodbridge athletic director Joseph Ward said.

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Cuevas, who has coached the girls tennis team for the past three seasons, has been an assistant on the softball team for the past five years. 

"I started off as the JV coach and for the past three years I worked as the assistant varsity coach," Cuevas said. "When Coach Small resigned, I thought it was a good time and place to put in for the position and take over from what she did and build on that for the future."

Cuevas was a four-year varsity player in high school under Hall of Fame softball coach Stew Jago, and received a Division I scholarship to play at Mount St. Mary University. She transferred to Georgian Court University after her freshman year, and went on to be named to multiple All-Conference and All-America teams. 

"I’m extremely happy she’s taking over the program. Growing up we played softball together, played on travel teams, we graduated high school together and have been friends throughout," Small said. "We joined the staff at the same time and when I took over as head coach there was no doubt in my mind that she was going to be right next to me, and to see her take over is very exciting and I can’t wait to see what she does with it."

Cuevas, a technology teacher at Woodbridge, will be taking over a Barrons team that finished 11-14 last year, was fifth in the Greater Middlesex Conference White Division and advanced to the first round of the GMC Tournament. 

"We had a really great season last year," Cuevas said. "We’ve made strides and I’m hoping to build on that and take us even further."

Cuevas, who will remain the girls tennis coach, is confident that the experience she's gained coaching tennis will help when she takes over the softball team. 

"Being the head coach of tennis first definitely helps with managing a team and having to make every decision," Cuevas said. "In tennis you’re the only coach, so every decision you make you have to live with. So to have that experience is definitely going to help me. Now I have three other coaches, but I know I can make decisions on my own if I need to."

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego