Wolverine Coaching Staff Named Best in Region
7/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Michigan's 2008 coaching staff consisted of head coach Carol Hutchins, associate head coach Bonnie Tholl, assistant coach Jennifer Brundage and volunteer assistant coach Becky Marx. It marks the seventh time the Michigan coaching staff has earned the Great Lakes Regional Coaching Staff of the Year distinction (1998, '99, 2001, '02, '04, '05, '08) and is the sixth 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 24th season in the third-base coaching box at Michigan (1985-2008), where she leads all Wolverine coaches with a career record of 1,060-381-4 (.735). Including her one season as head coach at Ferris State (1982), Hutchins is 1,083-392-4 (.734), with her 1,083 career wins ranking sixth among active Division I coaches and all-time. Hutchins was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 10th time during her tenure this past season and had six players named to the All-Big Ten first team with four eventually claiming Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America honors.
Tholl just completed her 15th season on the Michigan coaching staff and her sixth as the program's associate head coach. A fixture in the first-base coaching box, Tholl was a four-year starter at shortstop for Michigan from 1988-91 and was one of four Michigan players named to the first Big Ten All-Decade team (1982-92). In Tholl's 15 seasons on the Michigan staff, the Wolverines have made eight trips to the WCWS.
Tholl and Brundage have been the primary assistant coaches to Hutchins for 10 seasons, with Brundage, a former All-American at UCLA and 2000 Olympic gold medalist, serving as the pitching coach. Brundage guided sophomore Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) and freshman Jordan Taylor(Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) to dual All-America honors in 2008, marking only the second time in program history that U-M boasted a pair of All-America hurlers.
First-year volunteer assistant coach Becky Marx rounds out the region's top coaching staff for 2008. She returned to her alma mater after completing her undergraduate degree in secondary education at U-M. Marx was an All-American catcher for the Wolverines (2005-06) and played a pivotal role throughout Michigan's memorable 2005 NCAA Championship campaign.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
