LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The eight programs that reached the 2018 Division II National Championships were selected by their peers as the NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year, announced the Association on Monday.
Representing each of the NFCA’s eight Division II regions, these respective coaching staffs – West Chester University (Atlantic), Southern Arkansas University (Central), Saint Anselm College (East), University of Southern Indiana (Midwest), Saint Leo University (South), Angelo State University (South Central), University of North Georgia (Southeast) and Chico State (West)- are now eligible for the NFCA Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year award.
The list includes national champion Southern Indiana and national runner-up Saint Anselm. Additionally, Angelo State garnered its second straight recognition, while Chico State*, Saint Anselm and Saint Leo are first-time coaching staff of the year recipients.
The national award will be announced on June 13.
* Chico State garnered West Region Coach of the Year honors in 2002
Regional Winners
Atlantic – West Chester
Head Coach: Diane Lokey
Assistant Coach: Laura Altenburger
Record: 45-15 | 14-2 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East
Returned to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2014… Won the PSAC East regular-season… Conference tournament runner-up… Went undefeated in regionals and super regionals for the first time in program history… Finished NCAA postseason play with a 5-2 mark… Diane Lokey was named PSAC East Coach of the Year.
Central – Southern Arkansas
Head Coach: Jason Anderson
Assistant Coach: Kayla English
Graduate Assistants: Autumn Suydam, Brynn Baca
Record: 61-10 | 38-6 Great American Athletic Conference
National semifinalists for the second time in three years … Outright GAC regular season champions for the first time in program history… Ranked in the top 10 of the NFCA Coaches poll all but one week of the season… Posted program records with 61 wins and 113 home runs… Jason Anderson was named GAC Coach of the Year… Went 5-0 in the Central regional and super regional and finished with an 8-2 postseason record.
East – Saint Anselm
Head Coach: Jill Gagnon
Assistant Coach: Tayla Trask
Volunteer Assistants: Jessica Douillette, Hannah Byrne
Record: 44-13-1 | 23-2-1 Northeast 10 Conference
National runner-up in first-ever NCAA Championships’ appearance… Record-setting season saw the Hawks smash the single-season wins mark by 10… Jill Gagnon was named NE-10 Coach of the Year… NE-10’s Northeast Division champs… Won first seven games of the postseason and finished 8-3 overall… Six-of-eight NCAA postseason wins were by one or two runs… Finished 5-2 against top-25 programs… Five wins are most in program history… Registered a record 13-game winning streak earlier this season.
Midwest – University of Southern Indiana
Head Coach: Sue Kunkle
Assistant Coach: MacKenzi Dorsam
Graduate Assistant: Lexi Reese
Volunteer Assistant: Brooke Harmening
Record: 41-23 | 15-13 Great Lakes Valley Conference
As the No. 8 seed, USI won its first national championship posting a perfect 5-0 mark in Salem, Va.… Knocked off the No. 1 North Georgia to open the tournament and swept No. 2 Saint Anselm in the championship series… Second straight trip to the NCAA Championships… Collected the program’s first GLVC tournament title as the league’s sixth seed… Went 5-1 during regional and super regional play on the road and finished 14-1 in the postseason, including the conference tournament… Posted six shutouts in the NCAA postseason and two more at the GLVC tournament, along with three more games allowing just one run.
South – Saint Leo
Head Coach: Erin Kinberger
Assistant Coaches: Maddie Holub, Pat Affrunti, Sammie Marshall
Record: 39-18 | 16-14 Sunshine State Conference
National semifinalists after reaching the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history… Swept South Regional No. 2, defeating host and No. 2 seed North Alabama twice…. Topped UAH in a thrilling best of three Super Regional… 7-2 mark in NCAA postseason play… First SSC program to reach D2 National Championships since Barry in 2008.
South Central – Angelo State University
Head Coach: Travis Scott
Associate Head Coach: Katie Scott
Graduate Assistant: Lanie Robinson
Record: 53-9 | 25-5 Lone Star Conference
Won the South Central region and reached the NCAA Championships for the second straight year… Back-to-back Lone Star Conference regular season and tournament champions… Swept regional and super regional and finished 6-2 during NCAA postseason play… Travis Scott tabbed LSC Coach of the Year… Ranked in the top 10 of NFCA Coaches poll all season.
Southeast – North Georgia
Head Coach: Mike Davenport
Assistant Coach: Sage Woodham
Graduate Assistants: Molly Child, Meagan May
Record: 62-4 | 19-1 Peach Belt Conference
Swept through Southeast Regional and Super Regional and finished 6-2 in NCAA postseason play… Finished with a program-record 62 wins and the most victories across all three NCAA divisions… 110-17 the past two seasons… Peach Belt regular season and tournament champions for fifth consecutive season… Mike Davenport named Peach Belt Coach of the Year… Ranked No. 1 in NFCA Coaches poll final three weeks of regular season after holding down the No. 2 spot since the first regular-season poll.
West – Chico State
Head Coach: Angel Shamblin
Assistant Coaches: Diana Payan, Randy Watt, Maddie Phelps
Record: 55-6 | 37-3 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)
West Region champions, posting a 5-3 mark in the NCAA postseason… Ranked in top 10 of NFCA’s coaches poll all season, top five last 10 weeks and top three final eight weeks… School record 55 wins… Reached the 50-win plateau for the first time Chico State’s 50th season of softball… Collected CCAA regular season and tournament titles… First league tournament championship in program history… Head coach Angel Shamblin named CCAA Coach of the Year.