GAINESVILLE, Fla - University of Florida head softball coach Tim Walton was named the head coach of the National Professional FastPitch’s (NPF) USSSA Florida Pride. In addition to his duties at Florida, Walton will coach the 2010 pro team as the schedule runs through the summer. “I am grateful to Mr. Don DeDonatis for this opportunity,” Walton said of the Pride’s owner and
general manager. “I also want to thank UF Athletics Director Jeremy Foley for allowing me to
be involved with the Pride this summer while also attending to my duties at Florida.”
In his fifth year at UF, Walton is the winningest coach in program history, tallying a 262-64
(.804) record with the Gators. Getting his start at Wichita State, he is 386-128 (.751) in his
eighth career season. He coached the Gators to the Women’s College World Series twice,
including a trip to the championship series, brought home two Southeastern Conference
regular-season and tournament titles and earned SEC Coach of the Year twice. UF has made
the NCAA Tournament every year of his tenure and hosted Regionals all four times. He has
coached 12 All-Americans, 14 NFCA All-Southeast Region honorees, 18 All-SEC selections, two
SEC Pitchers of the Year and a Player of the Year and the UF coaching staff has earned NFCA
Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year three years running.
“The USSSA Pride has assembled a world class team over the last several months and there is
no question that we need a world class coach to lead them this summer,” DeDonatis said.
“Coach Walton exemplifies the way a professional team should be run. We are extremely
happy with his decision to coach the USSSA Pride.”
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. - Courtesy Florida Media Relations
