Michigan Garners NFCA Great Lakes Coaching Staff of the Year Honors
6/13/2018 10:58:00 AM | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Michigan softball coaching staff has been named the Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on Tuesday (June 13). The staff led the Wolverines to a 44-13 overall record, the program's 20th Big Ten Conference title in program history and the Wolverines' 24th straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Michigan's 2018 coaching staff consisted of head coach Carol Hutchins, associate head coach Bonnie Tholl, assistant coach Jennifer Brundage and volunteer assistant coach Alex Lagesse. It marks the 14th time the Michigan coaching staff has earned the Great Lakes Regional Coaching Staff of the Year distinction (1998-2002, '04-05, '08-10, '13-16, '18) and is the 13th for the core contingent of Hutchins, Tholl and Brundage. U-M was honored with Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year accolades in 2005.
Hutchins recently wrapped up her 34th season at Michigan (1985-2018). The winningest coach in NCAA softball history, Hutchins owns a career record of 1,572-504-5. She is a 17-time Big Ten Coach of the Year and has guided her players to 68 total All-America citations, including two this season, while 13 Wolverines have earned Academic All-America accolades.
Tholl and Brundage have been Hutchins' primary assistants for the past 20 years, while Tholl recently completed her 25th overall season with the Wolverines and 16th as associate head coach. A fixture in the first-base coaching box, Tholl was a four-time All-Big Ten shortstop for Michigan (1988-91) and was one of four Wolverine players named to the first Big Ten All-Decade team (1982-92). In Tholl's 25 seasons on the Michigan staff, the Wolverines have made 12 Women's College World Series appearances.
As the Wolverines' pitching coach, Brundage -- a former All-American at UCLA and 2000 Olympic gold medalist -- helped develop the 2018 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and a first team All-American in freshman left-handed pitcher Meghan Beaubien. Lagesse just completed her third season as the volunteer assistant. She was a two-time All-Horizon League honoree as a standout pitching at Valparaiso.
