Helen Peña is in her second season as a graduate assistant coach at CSU Bakersfield. Peña is the Roadrunners' pitching coach.
In 2014, Peña helped coach Bakersfield’s Kelsie Monroe to be one of the Western Athletic Conference’s strongest pitchers. Monroe ranked in the Top 3 among WAC pitchers in ERA (3.19), strikeouts (117), and innings pitched (189.0).
Peña is a 2011 graduate of Cal Poly where she earned All-Conference honors in 2008 and was named second team All-Conference in 2009. In 2009, she was second among all Big West Conference pitchers in ERA (1.49). She ranks third in Cal Poly in history in career saves and is sixth in Mustangs' history in career strikeouts and career victories.
Peña began her coaching career as a student assistant for Cal Poly in 2011 before moving into a volunteer assistant position for the 2012 season. She worked with the Mustangs' pitchers and outfielders during practice and games. Peña has also served as an assistant coach with 16U Aftershocks travel ball team in Paso Robles, Calif. (2010).
"Helen's competitive mindset will not only help our pitchers, but our hitters as well," Buck-Ziegler said. "As former All-Conference player in the Big West, Helen understands the demands that a young pitcher goes through and knows how to get them in a better place mentally as well as physically. Our pitchers are going to benefit from her knowledge and work ethic."
