LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gretna (Neb.) and Wesleyan (Ga.) were selected by their peers as the 2024 ATEC/NFCA Summer/Fall Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honorees, the Association announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Representing the six states that compete in either the summer or fall, Gretna (Region I) and Wesleyan (Region II) were chosen in a vote of NFCA member coaches in their respective region. Those two winners are now eligible — along with the spring honorees from Regions III through X, who will be revealed on Aug. 8, 2025 — for the ATEC/NFCA High School National Coaching Staff of the Year award, which will be announced on Aug. 19, 2025.
To be eligible for Regional Coaching Staff of the Year recognition, a school’s head coach must be an NFCA member and nominated. Five states — Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri — play a fall fastpitch schedule, while Iowa completes in the summer. The high schools in the other eight regions play in the spring.
Regional Winners
Region I — Gretna (Neb.)
Head Coach: Bill Heard
Assistant Coaches: Todd Mills, Channon Oseka, McKenna Nixon, Luke Brenn and Gabe Wurth
Nebraska Class A state champion finished first in 2024 NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll and was the only undefeated team (38-0) in this year’s rankings … Captured their second NFCA Kaiti Williams Memorial Leadoff Classic title in the past three seasons, going 5-0 and outscoring their opponents 33-1 (finished runner-up in the event in 2023) and also won the Bellevue East Invitational, Omaha Westside Invitational, Eastern Midlands Conference and district crowns … Had six players named all-state and broke 11 school records this season … Outscored opponents 39-4 in the state tournament … The Dragons are actually supposed to be playing in a lower class, due to enrollment, but opted to compete against larger schools … Nominated for the honor by three rival head coaches, who said, “Staff is always willing to help other schools, and coaches are class and treat all opponents with respect. The passion, skill and dominance the team played with made them one of, if not the best, team in the nation."
Region II — Wesleyan (Ga.)
Head Coach: Savannah Peppers
Assistant Coaches: Greg Lisson, Brittani Houghton and Riley Henning
Went 31-2 and captured a fourth-straight Georgia state crown, the first under a new coaching staff … Finished the year by winning six games in three days, including defeating Hebron Christian twice in the Private School championship on Nov. 2 … Ranked ninth in final 2024 NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll … Ended then-No. 1-ranked Buford’s 49-game win streak on Sept. 4, defeating a pitcher who is the top-ranked recruit in her class and a school that finished runner-up in Class 6A … Defeated eventual state Class A, Division I champion Gordon Lee, and five Elite Eight schools — Brookwood and North Gwinnett (both 6A), Mount Vernon and Mount Paran (both Private) and St. Pius (4A) … Head coach Savannah Peppers: “This coaching staff has had TONS of past success with a different head coach at the helm, Mary Blalock. While I had been a head coach for a few years at another school, going from public to private came with huge changes, most of them unbeknownst to me, and the staff could not have been more gracious and helpful in the transition. I simply could not have taken over this role without their help. The way this staff pours into these girls is second to none. They live their faith out loud and boldly, and are some of the greatest people I have had the pleasure of getting to know."
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