LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The NFCA is pleased to announce six additions to the Association’s Board of Directors, including incoming President, Karen Weekly, co-head coach at Tennessee. Elected by their peers, each coach that is named to the 17-member board is slated to serve one three-year term.
The term for incoming board members and those reelected to their position begin on January 1, 2017. Additionly, the NFCA is also announcing all its new committee members for 2017. You can view all the committees HERE.
Joining Weekly as new members on the NFCA’s executive committee, made up of the President, Past President and five vice presidents, are Fourth and Fifth Vice Presidents- Hofstra’s Larissa Anderson and James Madison’s Mickey Dean. Nebraska’s Rhonda Revelle will move from her current role as President to Past President. Purdue’s Boo De Oliveira was reelected to the Second Vice President position.
St. Pius X (Festus, Mo.) High School head coach Kevin Halley and Shelli Nolte of Premier Fastpitch (Ill.) were elected to the Board as the new High School and Travel Ball representatives, respectively. Additionally, Hal Wynn (Faulkner University/NAIA), LeeAnn Taylor (San Diego City College/Cal JC) and Diane Miller (Nebraska/Assistant Coach) were reelected to their positions as division representatives.
Continuing their terms on the NFCA Board of Directors are South Carolina assistant coach Lisa Navas (First Vice President), Notre Dame assistant coach Kris Ganeff (Third Vice President), Memphis head coach Natalie Poole (DI rep), Wayne State University’s Gary Bryce (DII rep), Eastern Connecticut State head coach Diana Pepin (DIII rep), Kirkwood Community College’s Joe Yegge (NJCAA rep) and former LSU and Louisiana-Lafayette head coach Yvette Girouard (Coach Emeriti rep).
Karen Weekly
(Tennessee) – President
A 20-year collegiate softball head coaching veteran boasting 977 career wins, Karen Weekly along side her husband Ralph enter their 16th season at the helm of the Tennessee softball program. Under Weekly's watch, Tennessee advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th consecutive season and 14th time overall in program history in 2016, earning the No. 13 national seed. During her time in Knoxville, Weekly has amassed a staggering 754 victories and five top three national finishes (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013) and seven appearances (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015) in the Women's College World Series.
Rhonda Revelle (Nebraska) – Past President
Revelle has emerged as an outstanding leader for the sport of softball as a whole. She will conclude her third stint as the NFCA President (1999-2002, 2005-06, 2012-present) and has also served as the NFCA 2nd Vice President (1995-98) and as both a member (1989-92) and chair of the NFCA All-American Committee (1993-94). Entering her 25th season in 2017, Revelle, a member of the NFCA Hall of Fame, owns nearly every Nebraska coaching record- 913 wins; 20 NCAA Tournament berths; 15 top-20 national finishes; eight top-10 finishes; eight coach-of-the-year awards; seven conference titles; and three trips to the Women’s College World Series.
Larissa Anderson (Hofstra) – Fourth Vice President
Anderson, who is entering her third season as head coach, led Hofstra to the Colonial Athletic Association championship and a NCAA Tournament berth in her first season as the program’s head coach in 2015, guiding the Pride to a 38-14-1 record and a spot in the NCAA Gainesville Regional. For their efforts, Anderson and her assistants were named the NFCA Northeast Region's Coaching Staff of the Year. Since Anderson, the sixth head coach in program history, arrived on campus, Hofstra is 542-230-2 (.700). Before taking over as the head coach, Anderson spent the previous 13 seasons on the Hofstra staff as an assistant, including the last 10 as the associate head coach.
Mickey Dean (James Madison) – Fifth Vice President
Dean has brought JMU to new heights and in the national spotlight of collegiate softball since his arrival four years ago. He has guided the Dukes to NCAA postseason each of the past four seasons and set a single-season wins record in each year. Under his guidance, the Dukes have won more than 79 percent (185-48) of their games, including an impressive 70-7 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. Dean’s program rewrote the record books in the 2016 season, winning JMU’s third CAA Championship and first NCAA Regional title, along with hosting a NCAA Super Regional. With a 50-6 mark, the Dukes finished the season with the best record in history (most wins and fewest losses), while producing the program's first ever NFCA First Team All-American selections, Jailyn Ford and Megan Good.
Kevin Halley (St. Pius X High School) – High School Representative
Halley has been the head coach at St. Pius since 2004 and led the Lancers to a pair of district titles in 2011 and 2014, while also serving as St. Pius’ athletics director for four years (2011-15). Under his watch, the Lancers claimed state titles in volleyball and girl’s soccer, while the boy’s soccer and baseball programs also reached the state tournament. In 2014, St. Pius earned the recognition as the STLhighschoolsports.com small schools athletic program of the year.
Shelli Nolte (Premier Fastpitch [Ill.]) – Travel Ball Representative
Nolte has over 18 years of fastpitch coaching experience. She has coached or assisted travel teams to multiple top-five finishes at ASA and NSA USSSA Illinois “A” State Tournaments, two top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes at NSA and USFA National Tournament. Currently the head coach at Neoga High School, Nolte has served as the Executive Director of the Mattoon Girls Softball Association for 10 years, as well as a commissioner for the Illinois ASA and Illinois USSSA and a tournament director for ASA, NSA and USSSA tournament.
