Parkland hires Sementi to guide softball program

CHAMPAIGN — Lenny Sementi, who won 500-plus games in 23 seasons at Tuscola, has been hired as Parkland College’s softball coach.

“I was just ready to take my chances at a different level,” he said.

Sementi, 61, fills a void left by the departure of co-coaches Kristi and Dan Paulson, who initially left for Lake Land in Mattoon. Earlier this month, however, Kristi Paulson was named softball coach at Eastern Illinois.

The Paulsons led the Cobras to a a 205-56 record and three NJCAA Division II national tournament appearances the last five seasons.

Former Tuscola and Illinois standout Erin Walker will join Sementi as an assistant coach.

The Warriors become an IHSA force under Sementi, who coached the Douglas County power to 11 regional titles, four sectional titles and a 2012 fourth-place state finish in Class 1A. He’s only had two losing seasons, both coming in his first five years.

He helped 42 players continue their softball careers in college. Six of them have played at the Division I level with rising senior Ava Boyer (Illinois State) set to become the seventh after next season.