Softball On SI

Oregon State Softball Adds Another Olympic Gold Medalist to Coaching Staff

Maren Angus-Coombs|
Apr 22, 2008; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USA national team players Monica Abbott (14), Vicky Galindo (19), Jennie Finch (27), Jenny Topping (31), Alicia Hollowell (34), Lauren Lappin (37), Laura Berg (44), Caitlin Lowe (26), Natasha Watley (29) Jessica Mendoza (2) and Crstyl Bustos (6) listen to national anthem before exhibition game against the UCLA Bruins at Easton Field.
Apr 22, 2008; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USA national team players Monica Abbott (14), Vicky Galindo (19), Jennie Finch (27), Jenny Topping (31), Alicia Hollowell (34), Lauren Lappin (37), Laura Berg (44), Caitlin Lowe (26), Natasha Watley (29) Jessica Mendoza (2) and Crstyl Bustos (6) listen to national anthem before exhibition game against the UCLA Bruins at Easton Field. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Oregon State head coach Laura Berg has added one of her former Team USA teammates to her coaching staff ahead of the 2026 season.

Gold Medalist and former four-time All-American at Cal State Fullerton, Jenny Topping, is joining the Beavers after spending last season with her alma mater.

Topping was a force while playing for the Titans, leading them to three Big West titles. At the plate, she slashed .443/.573/.771 while holding top-five marks in doubles (44) and home runs (33) in addition to holding seventh place in runs batted in with 128.

During her career in Fullerton, she was a three-time Big West Player of the Year and was inducted into the athletic program's hall of fame in 2015.

Topping began her career at Washington but returned home to Southern California and immediately began competing on the international stage. She was selected for the USA Blue squad at the 2001 Pan Am Qualifier and the Canada Cup before being invited to be a member of the U.S. National Training Team in 2002. 

The utility player's international career culminated with a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. She had the opportunity to make the 2008 roster but was named an alternate instead.

Since then, Topping became a professional All-Star in National Pro Fastpitch, where she won a championship with the Akron Racers in 2005. She also played three seasons in Japan for the Toyota Shokki.

Topping's accolades as a player include being inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame, a two-time Top 9 player in Japan, a four-time First Team All-American, the PAC-10 Newcomer of the Year, and NPF Champion. 

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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