Coach Lipira took over the MSSC softball program in 1982 and within the first eight years led the Lady Lions to four top ten national finishes in the NAIA and four NAIA district 16 championships and two district 16 runner up finishes. In their first season as a NCAA D2 member, Coach Lipira led the Lady Lions to a fourth place finish as the team went 36-9 while winning both the MIAA Championship and sweeping through the Midwest Regional. Two years later, in only their third season, Coach Lipira would lead the Lady Lions to the top of the NCAA D-2 as they went 50-7. During that 1992 season, the Lions swept the MIAA Championship, the Midwest Regional, and the NCAA Nationals. Their last loss that season came way back on April 21, in game one of a double header, against Northeastern State. Lipira retired from coaching in 2000 after she compiled a 632-275 record for a winning percentage of .697, the 632 wins is still the most wins in program history by any coach.

Dr. Lipira just recently retired from Missouri Southern after serving the university as Vice President of Academic Affairs for the 2013-14 and 14-15 school years. Prior to serving as VPAA, Lipira was the interim Dean of Education and head of the Kinesiology department at Southern.