Hall of fame banner

NFCA Hall of Fame Nomination Process

Nominations may be made by any NFCA member in good standing. Nominations should be submitted using the official NFCA Hall of Fame nomination form.

Hall of Fame Guidelines:

1. Anyone may nominate a qualified candidate for the NFCA Hall of Fame provided that the candidate meets all of the criteria listed below
2.

The candidate’s name must be submitted prior to September 1, 2026 to be considered for the 2027 Hall of Fame class. The candidate’s name and final nomination will be due October 1, 2026 to be considered for the 2027 Hall of Class.
3. The form must be completed and all additional materials must be submitted prior to October 1, 2026 to be considered for the 2027 Hall of Fame class.
4. The nomination must be amply supported by additional articles, information, and materials about the candidate.
5. The nomination must contain three letters of recommendation.
6. Eligible nominees must meet the following criteria:
  1. Have served as a Head Softball Coach (Head, Associate Head, or Co-Head Coach), at any level, for a minimum of 20 years.*
  2. Have been an active NFCA member for a minimum of 10 years.
  3. Have made professional and personal contributions to the NFCA (e.g. committee service, clinician, Board member, Convention, etc.).
  4. Have significantly contributed to the advancement of softball at the local, national, or international level.
  5. Should represent the following:
    1. High moral character and ethical standards.
    2. Display sportsmanship, integrity, and honesty.
    3. Demonstrate leadership abilities

*Exception: Individuals who meet all other criteria may be inducted into the Trailblazer Category without 20 years of coaching experience. 

Trailblazer Category: recognizes an NFCA member who has contributed above and beyond to the sport of softball through exceptional service, leadership, coaching and/or participation.

Hall of Fame Process: 

  1. All nominations must be completed and submitted by October 1 of that year.
  2. Completed submissions will be collected by the NFCA Liaison and sent to the Chair of the Hall of Fame Committee for preliminary review. Hall of Fame Committee 
  3. Only completed and submitted nomination forms will be considered. 
  4. The Hall of Fame Committee uses a multi-round selection process and all candidates are evaluated using the same established criteria. 
  5. In order for the Hall of Fame Committee to conduct a fair and objective evaluation, the FIRST round of voting is based on the initial nomination form ONLY. All personal information (name, school, division, etc.) on the nomination form has been REDACTED. It is important to complete the nomination form as thoroughly and comprehensively as possible to accurately tell the candidate's story and highlight their accomplishments, contributions, and impact on the game. Do not include hyperlinks in the nomination form. All information must be input into the form, copy/pasting is permitted. Letters of recommendation and additional supporting documents, as well as the unredacted nomination form, are considered for candidates who advance to the second round of voting and beyond. 
  6. Early rounds of voting begin in late October and the Hall of Fame Committee will gather in December at the NFCA Convention to select the next NFCA Hall of Fame class.
  7. Candidates are eligible for selection for five years. Nomination forms and materials can be updated at any time during the five-year window but must be completed by Oct. 1 each year to be updated for that year’s review.
  8. Candidates not selected within the five year window must be removed from the pool for one year before they may be re-nominated. 
  9. Awards may be made posthumously.
 
SAMPLE NOMINATION FORM: VIEW HERE
 
For questions regarding the nomination process, online forms, or additional Hall of Fame information please reach out to Pat Conlan & Annie Gordon

For Those Who Know Even
Days Off Are Days On.

Learn About The Perks And Join NFCA Today.

Benefits Join Today