LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Coming off its first national championship, Madonna University was voted by its peers as the 2026 ATEC/NFCA NAIA National Coaching Staff of the Year, the Association announced on Thursday afternoon.

Head coach Ron Pezzoni and assistants Steve Toth, Dan Bressler, Shawn Hopper, Mike Baum, Jeff Laufenberg and Evan Zigler, along with pitching coach Len Rothrock and hitting consultant Aaron Fields guided Madonna to its first NAIA Softball World Series title with an undefeated run (7-0) through the postseason, culminating with an 8-4 victory over Southeastern in the championship game. The No. 1-ranked and seeded Crusaders (52-4) allowed just one run over three games in the NAIA Opening Round, knocking off host Central Methodist in the final contest. They continued to take care of business in Columbus, Ga. defeating No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 4 Mobile and No. 2 Southeastern twice to raise the Red Banner.

Madonna, which ended its season on a 16-game win streak and the second most wins in program history, swept both the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) regular-season and tournament titles. Pezzoni was voted the WHAC Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season following the Crusader third straight regular-season crown with a 19-1 league mark. Under the staff’s tutelage, Madonna ranked in several of the NAIA’s top 10 offensive categories  - batting average (3^rd / .362), on-base percentage (3^rd / 442), RBI (4^th / 395), runs (4^th / 422), walks (5^th / 194), hits (7^th/ 551), triples (10^th / 21) – in addition to being ranked seventh in both ERA (1.64) and shutouts (12).

Madonna, a representative of Region VI, was joined by Blue Mountain Christian University (Region I), University of Mobile (Region II), Southern Oregon University (Region III), University of British Columbia (Region IV) and Lindsey Wilson University (Region V) - as NAIA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year recipients.

Pezzoni and his staff will be recognized at the NFCA Awards Brunch on Dec. 12 at the 2026 NFCA Convention in Atlantic City, N.J.

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ATEC/NFCA NAIA NATIONAL SOFTBALL COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR