With the University of Maine a few weeks away from announcing its new head softball coach, the school can be sure that person won’t be Michelle Puls.

The Black Bears interim head coach has been hired as an assistant coach at Indiana University.

“I thought I wanted to stay at Maine. I had my heart set on Maine,” said Puls, a 1994 Bangor High graduate. “But it was one of those things where, once I stepped on campus [at Indiana] I knew what I wanted.”

Puls was one of the candidates for UMaine’s permanent coaching position, which opened when Deb Smith took a leave of absence after the 2004 season and decided after the 2005 season not to return. Smith has since been hired as the head coach at Rhode Island.

Puls, who had served as an assistant to Smith, took over as the interim coach for the 2005 season. She guided the Black Bears to a 16-26 record.

Her contract with the university ran out June 30.

The former University of Maine standout said after the season ended that she would “absolutely” return as the UMaine head coach if she was asked. Patrick Nero, who was the UMaine athletic director at the time, said he planned to discuss the permanent position with Puls during his season review of softball.

Interim athletic director Blake James said the search has already gone forward.

“Obviously Michelle was potentially a great candidate, but we had a very strong talent pool,” he said.

Puls went through a standard phone interview and was to have an on-campus interview but called to withdraw her application about two weeks ago when she found out she had been hired at Indiana.

“I knew I wanted to be there, so when they called to offer me the job I withdrew my name [at Maine],” Puls said.

Maine is expected to name a new head coach in the next few weeks. James declined to say how many candidates are left.

Aside from liking Indiana based on her campus visit there, Puls said the additional coaching experience could help facilitate a return to Maine someday.

“I know I need to expand my abilities so that I can get a head coaching job in Division I and maybe someday come back to Maine,” she said.

Puls will join former UMaine women’s basketball head coach Sharon Versyp, who resigned in April to take the head coaching position at Indiana.

Before spending five seasons as an assistant at Maine, Puls played for the Akron Racers of the Women’s Professional Softball League.

She was a two-time America East Conference Player of the Year while at Maine. Puls graduated in 1998.

Puls will join a Hoosiers team that went 13-41 overall and 2-18 in the Big Ten Conference.

Despite Indiana’s conference record this year – worst in the Big Ten – the fact that fellow Big Ten Conference member Michigan won the 2005 NCAA national championship was one reason Puls was attracted to the Indiana job.

“The Big Ten Conference is a huge calling card,” she said.

Puls’ duties will include working with the hitters and outfielders.

“With Michelle’s coaching experience, upbeat attitude, and will to win, there was no question about hiring her for the position,” Phillips said.

Puls said she has notified Maine’s recruits that she is leaving. The program hasn’t yet had any signed commitments for the 2006 season.