Wolverine Coaching Staff Tabbed Best in Region
6/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- 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 on Tuesday (June 30). The staff led the Maize and Blue to a 47-10 overall record, a Big Ten Conference crown and the program's ninth trip to the Women's College World Series.
Michigan's 2009 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 eighth time the Michigan coaching staff has earned the Great Lakes Regional Coaching Staff of the Year distinction (1998, '99, 2001, '02, '04, '05, '08, '09) and is the seventh 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 25th season in the third-base coaching box at Michigan (1985-2009), where she leads all Wolverine coaches with a career record of 1,107-393-4 (.737). Including her one season as head coach at Ferris State (1982), Hutchins is 1,130-404-4 (.736), with her 1,130 career wins ranking fifth among active Division I coaches and seventh all-time. Hutchins was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 11th time during her tenure this past season and had five players named to the All-Big Ten first team with two eventually claiming Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America honors.
Tholl just completed her 16th season on the Michigan coaching staff and her seventh 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 16 seasons on the Michigan staff, the Wolverines have made nine trips to the WCWS.
Tholl and Brundage have been the primary assistant coaches to Hutchins for 11 seasons, with Brundage, a former All-American at UCLA and 2000 Olympic gold medalist, serving as the pitching coach. Brundage guided the Big Ten's top pitching staff in 2009 as junior Nikki Nemitz(St. Clair Shores, Mich./Regina HS) and sophomore Jordan Taylor(Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) combined for a 1.22 ERA and 591 strikeouts.
Second-year volunteer assistant coach Becky Marx rounds out the region's top coaching staff for 2009. She returned to her alma mater after completing her undergraduate degree in secondary education at U-M. Marx was an All-America 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
