Flowery Branch High has promoted former assistant softball coach Laura Novotny-Beaver to the post of head coach following former coach Valerie Lancaster’s decision to resign her position after the 2009 season.

Novotny-Beaver’s career as a head coach includes seven seasons at St. Pius X Catholic, leading the Golden Lions to the Class AAA Elite eight during the 2007 season.

During her seven seasons at St. Pius X, Novotny-Beaver compiled 92 wins, three Region runner-up finishes and was named DeKalb County’s Coach of the Year in 2007.

In college, Novotny-Beaver was a softball player at the University of Northern Iowa and set school records that still stand currently with career triples (24), hitting streak (14) and triples in a season (11).