Former USF softball pitcher Cristi Ecks, who was Big East Co-Rookie of the Year in 2006 and graduated with a business degree in 2009, has returned to USF as the athletic department's business operations coordinator.

Ecks, who holds USF's records for saves in a season (7) and career (18), took the job at USF after earning Master's degrees in business administration and sport management from UCF's DeVos School of Business.

Ecks returned to softball in 2009 as one of the Big East's best pitchers after a scare in April 2008 that saw her collapse to the ground when her heart stopped beating during a routine practice. Since the Bulls joined the Big East in 2006, she has the lowest career ERA (1.14) and most career strikeouts (548).

-- USF women's basketball has lost video coordinator Michael Bowden, who took the same job on the coaching staff at Maryland after two seasons with the Bulls. Incoming signees Caitlin Rowe and Shalethia Stringfield started summer classes this week, while junior college transfer Inga Orekhova will start classes in August. Four of the five men's basketball signees also started classes this week, with junior college center Andre Jackson expected to join the team when fall classes begin.

-- USF has announced a partnership with Ticket City to serve as the official secondary ticket partner for Bulls athletics and be involved in USF's campaigns for season tickets in football and basketball.