STARKVILLE, Miss. – Simon Fraser University head coach Mike Renney, along with Clan assistants Tyler Lorenz and Jill Bodenbender have been named the 2003 Speedline/NFCA NAIA National Coaching Staff of the Year.
Southwest Region Co-Coaching Staff of the Year Southwest Region Co-Coaching Staff of the Year In just her second year as USAO softball coach, Julie Vergenz led the Drovers to their best regular season in school history. USAO finished second in the Sooner Athletic Conference. USAO also finished second in the SAC tournament and fell to Oklahoma Baptist in the Region VI tourney. Vergenz was named the 2003 SAC coach of the year after leading the Drovers to one of the best turnarounds in NAIA history. After finishing 9-25 in 2003, USAO was 34-24 in 2003. Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year
Renney and his staff guided SFU to a 37-4 record, the fewest losses in the school’s storied history. SFU defeated Mobile to win its second ever national championship. At one point this season, the Clan won a school record 31 consecutive games. Simon Fraser also set new school records for home runs and shutouts in a season.
2003 marks the third National Coaching Staff of the Year for Renney and his staff at Simon Fraser. He was honored in 1998 and again in 1999, after winning the school’s first national title.
The SFU staff was selected by its peers as the Speedline/NFCA NAIA West Region Coaching Staff of the Year and then placed on the national coaching staff of the year ballot. They will be recognized as the 2003 Speedline/NFCA NAIA National Coaching Staff of the Year at the NFCA National Convention in Houston, Texas, this December.
Other Speedline top regional coaching staffs, as selected by their coaching peers, are:
East Region Coaching Staff of the Year
Thomas University
Head Coach: Thomas Macera
Assistant Coaches: Leah Viator and Christine Dima
In his fourth season at the helm of the Thomas Night Hawks, Macera holds a career record of 153-63. He led Thomas to the 2003 NAIA National Tournament and a national ranking of No. 5. For the second consecutive season, the Night Hawks were runners up in Region XIII.
Midland Lutheran
Head Coach: Keith Kramme
Assistant Coaches: Ryan Fittje, Kelli Slagle, Lynsey Moline
Posting a 39-15-1 overall record, Midland Lutheran made its first ever appearance in the NAIA National Softball Championships. For the fourth consecutive season, the Warriors have established new school records for wins in a season. In 2003, Midland Lutheran won its first ever Great Plains Athletic Conference championship, GPAC tournament championship, and NAIA Region IV championship. Kramme was named the 2003 GPAC Coach of the Year.
University of the Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Head Coach: Julie Vergenz
Assistant Coach: Talia Prather
Olivet Nazarene
Head Coach: Ritchie Richardson
Assistant Coach: Kristin Vanderlaan
In 2003, Olivet Nazarene finished with a 61-13 record, claiming the CCAC regular season and tournament championships, the NAIA Region VII championship, and a third-place finish in the national championships. Richardson has a career record of 364-123, and has averaged 50 wins per season over his last six campaigns at ONU.
Columbia College
Head Coach: Wendy Spratt
Assistant Coaches: Chad Schatz and Jim Talbert
Columbia won its second consecutive American Midwest Conference and NAIA Region V championships in 2003 under head coach Wendy Spratt. In ten seasons at the helm of the Cougars, Spratt has compiled a 346-163 record and five AMC titles.
