LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Head coach Genny Stidham, assistant coach Cody White and graduate assistant coach Nathalie Timmermans of the NCAA Division II national champion University of Central Oklahoma softball program have been chosen as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year the Association announced on Tuesday.
NFCA Division II Regional Coaching Staff of the Year winners included: the University of Indianapolis (Midwest), Adelphi University (East), Humboldt State University (West), University of Central Oklahoma (Central), Valdosta State University (South), Texas Woman’s University (South Central), West Chester University of Pennsylvania (Atlantic) and Armstrong Atlantic State University (Southeast).
During the 2013 campaign the Bronchos secured the program’s first NCAA Division II Softball Championship (and initial women’s title in any sport in school history) by registering a perfect 9-0 NCAA Tournament mark as part of a 51-11 overall record. UCO also won the regular-season crown in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) at 23-3. Despite a national ranking of 19th originally entering the event, Central Oklahoma rolled through four opponents during the NCAA DII Championship Finals in Salem, Va., (Armstrong Atlantic – twice, Molloy, Kutztown) securing the crown by a total score of 31-6.
Having just completed her 16th season at the helm of UCO’s program, Stidham now possesses an impressive 475-289-2 overall record, having averaged 30 wins a year. As the winningest softball coach in school history, she has also guided the Bronchos to the six most successful seasons in school annals (by wins), to a pair of Lone Star Conference titles and seven national tournament berths, including three trips to the NCAA Division II Championship Finals (2006, 2012, 2013).
NFCA Division II Regional Coaching Staff of the Year winners this season were:
Midwest – University of Indianapolis – (54-8, 28-2 GLVC) -- Final Rank: No. 9
Head Coach: Melissa Frost Fisher; Assistant Coaches: Sara Kubuske, Ashley Balazs, Callie Givens
Posted a 54-8 overall record, won the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season crown at 28-2 in league play and advanced to the NCAA DII Softball Championship Super Regionals before falling two-games-to-one to eventual national semifinalist Grand Valley State. Was No. 1 in the national polls for the last six weeks of the regular-season and posted a 38-game, regular-season win streak.
Central – University of Central Oklahoma -- (51-11, 23-3 MIAA) -- Final Rank: No. 1
Head Coach: Genny Stidham; Assistant Coach: Cody White; Graduate Assistant Coach: Nathalie Timmermans
Won the program’s first NCAA Division II Softball Championship by registering a perfect 9-0 NCAA Tournament record and a 51-11 overall mark. Also won the regular-season crown in the MIAA at 23-3. Despite a national ranking of 19th originally entering the event, UCO rolled through four opponents in the NCAA DII Championship Finals in Salem, Va., (Armstrong Atlantic – twice, Molloy, Kutztown) by a total score of 31-6.
East – Adelphi University – (41-19, 25-5 NE-10) – Final Rank: No. 14
Head Coach: Breanne Nasti; Assistant Coach: Ophir Sadeh
Secured the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament and Southwest Division regular-season titles (25-5 mark). Adelphi was 3-2 in NCAA action, advancing to the NCAA DII Softball Championship Super Regional round before falling in two contests to Molloy.
West – Humboldt State University – (53-14, 31-5 CCAA) -- Final Rank: No. 5
Head Coach: Frank Cheek; Assistant Coaches: Shelli Maher-Sarchett, Alicia Reid
Swept the CCAA regular-season (31 league wins) and tournament titles, advancing all the way to the NCAA Division II Championship Finals in Salem, Va., before being eliminated via a 1-2 record with a win over Texas Woman’s (4-2) and losses to Kutztown (0-1) and Armstrong Atlantic (3-5).
South – Valdosta State University – (46-13, 22-7 GSC) – Final Rank: No. 7
Head Coach: Thomas Macera; Assistant Coach: Lindsay Campana; Graduate Assistant Coaches: Natalia Morozova, Marti Littlefield
Despite entering the event as the No. 3-seed, VSU won its fifth-consecutive Gulf South Conference Tournament Championship with a 4-3 triumph over Alabama-Huntsville. The Blazers rolled through the NCAA South Region Tournament at 3-0 before eliminating its league rival UAH from Super Regionals two-games-to-one to earn a berth to the NCAA DII National Championship in Salem, Va. The defending national titlists wouldn’t defend their 2012 crown, however, falling in close contests to Molloy (4-5) and Armstrong Atlantic (5-7).
South Central – Texas Woman’s University – (51-14, 21-6 Lone Star) – Final Rank: No. 8
Head Coach: Richie Bruister; Assistant Coach: Sena Horne; Graduate Assistant: Tiffany Weise; Student Assistant: Jamie Kerner; Volunteer Assistant: Darrin Dykes
Swept both the Lone Star Conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2013 while advancing all the way to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship in Salem, Va. Entering the finals with a perfect 5-0 record in NCAA Tournament action, the Pioneers dropped two straight match-ups against Humboldt State (2-4) and national semifinalist Grand Valley State (4-8) to be eliminated.
Atlantic – West Chester University of Pennsylvania – (37-21, 9-7 PSAC) – Final Rank: No. 17
Head Coach: Diane Lokey; Assistant Coach: Margaret Kichler
Swept through the NCAA Atlantic Regional with a perfect 3-0 mark before suffering a pair of close defeats to eventual national finalist Kutztown in NCAA Atlantic Super Regional action. Finished third in the East Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and made the PSAC Tournament semifinals before falling to California University (Pa.).
Southeast – Armstrong Atlantic State University – (44-10-1, 18-4 PBC) – Final Rank: No. 3
Head Coach: Ted Evans; Assistant Coach: Cat Hosfield; Student Assistant: April Jowers; Volunteer Assistant: Jessica Strong
Won the Peach Belt Conference regular-season title at 18-4 overall and eventually finished as a national semifinalist at the NCAA Division II Softball Championship in Salem, Va. Posted an 8-3 record in NCAA play with its two World Series defeats coming in match-ups against eventual national champion Central Oklahoma.
