LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Ten NCAA Division III programs were selected by their peers as the 2023 ATEC/NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year, the Association announced on Wednesday.
Representing each of the NFCA’s 10 Division III regions, these respective coaching staffs – Simmons University (Region I), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Region II), University of Rochester (Region III), Rowan University (Region IV), Salisbury University (Region V), Berry College (Region VI), Trine University (Region VII), Concordia Wisconsin University (Region VIII), Coe College (Region IX) and Linfield University (Region X) – are now eligible for the ATEC/NFCA Division III National Coaching Staff of the Year award, which will be announced on June 19.
Six of the 10 programs – Coe, Rowan, Salisbury, Berry, Trine and Linfield – advanced to the NCAA Division III finals in Marshall, Texas. Salisbury and Trine are currently competing in the best-of-three NCAA championship series, with the Sea Gulls winning the first game, 4-2, on Tuesday.
Regional (respective region only) and National Coaching Staffs of the Year are voted on by member head coaches.
Region I – Simmons
Head Coach: Brook Capello
Assistant Coaches: Ally Galati and Lauren Del Vacchio
Went 27-16 and became the first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) team since Saint Joseph’s College in 2011 to reach the NCAA Regional final (against fellow Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honoree MIT) … Won program’s first GNAC tournament title, beating Lasell, 7-3, in the final.
Region II – MIT
Head Coach: Madison Sullivan
Assistant Coaches: Madison Milaszewski, Emily Kraytenberg, Keri Lehtonen and Amanda Genovese.
Went 36-8 and reached the NCAA Super Regionals under first-year head coach … Hosted both NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals … Defeated Simmons in NCAA Regional final … Captured second New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference tournament crown … Came within two wins of school record for a season.
Region III – Rochester
Head Coach: Margaret Yerdon-Grange
Assistant Coaches: Eric Kraut and Brittany Grage
Student Manager: Alyssa Graegin
Won program-record 38 games and captured third-straight Liberty League championship … Made third-straight NCAA appearance and seventh under Yerdon-Grange … Won 29 of final 30 regular-season contests, and had a school-record 24-game win streak.
Region IV – Rowan
Head Coach: Kim Wilson
Assistant Coaches: Mary Murray, Shilah Minerva, Ann Dailey and Megan Murzello
Went 42-10 and reached NCAA Finals for seventh time in program history … Defeated Randolph-Macon in NCAA Super Regional round … Defeated Pfeiffer to win NCAA Regional title.
Region V – Salisbury
Head Coach: Lacey Lord
Assistant Coaches: Molly Simpson, Nate Parsley, Tom Stitcher, Terri Sharpless and Kate Garland
Currently 49-4 … Top-ranked team in NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for most of season … Top seed at NCAA Finals … Defeated Lebanon Valley in NCAA Super Regionals … Beat Williams in NCAA Regional final … Captured Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference crown for second time in past three seasons.
Region VI – Berry
Head Coach: Jessica Strong
Assistant Coach: Abbey Gamble
First-year coach navigated team to winningest season in program history (43-7). … Team didn’t lose consecutive games until final two games at NCAA Finals site, where Vikings were making a second-straight appearance … Beat Mary Hardin-Baylor in NCAA Regional final … Defeated Belhaven in Super Regional round … Won Southern Athletic Association championship for fifth time in seven seasons, including second-straight year.
Region VII – Trine
Head Coach: Donnie Danklefsen
Assistant Coaches: Sydnie Foster and Dennis Smith
Currently 44-6 … Set school record for wins in a season … Reached NCAA championship series for second consecutive season (national runner-up in 2022) … Won Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament for second-straight season … Beat Wartburg in NCAA Regional final … Defeated Concordia Wisconsin in NCAA Super Regionals.
Region VIII – Concordia Wisconsin
Head Coach: Steve Crook
Assistant Head Coach: Patrick Steele
Assistant Coach: Kaitlin Downey
Graduate Assistant: Kelsey Bollon
Volunteer Assistant: Jeff Hanick
Set program record for wins (40-5) … Lost to NCAA finalist Trine in Super Regional round … Defeated Wisconsin-Oshkosh in NCAA Regional final … Captured Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference tournament for second consecutive season.
Region IX – Coe
Head Coach: Jake Koolbeck
Assistant Coach: Ashlee Rush
Went 39-11 and advanced to NCAA Finals for third time in school history and first since 2009 ... Won first two games at championship site, including victory over Linfield in opener … Fourth-most wins in program history … Beat Hiram in NCAA Super Regionals … Defeated Wisconsin-Whitewater in NCAA Regional final.
Region X – Linfield
Head Coach: Jackson Vaughan
Assistant Coaches: Emily Allen and Amanda Knopf
Went 46-6 and advanced to NCAA Finals … Won Northwest Conference tournament for the 11th time in school history … Beat Bethel in NCAA Super Regional … Defeated Redlands in NCAA Regional.
Celebrating 40 years in 2023, the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded All-Region and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining nearly 6,700 coaches today at NFCA.org
.
