Wolverine Coaching Staff Named Best in Great Lakes Region
6/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
June 24, 2015
From left: Jennifer Brundage, Nikki Nemitz, Bonnie Tholl, Carol Hutchins
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 Wednesday (June 24). The staff led the Wolverines to a 60-8 overall record, the program's eighth straight Big Ten Conference title, a Big Ten Tournament crown and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Women's College World Series.
Michigan's 2015 coaching staff consisted of head coach Carol Hutchins, associate head coach Bonnie Tholl, assistant coach Jennifer Brundage and volunteer assistant coach Nikki Nemitz. It is the third straight regional coaching honor for the Wolverine quartet and marks the 12th time the Michigan coaching staff has earned the Great Lakes Regional Coaching Staff of the Year distinction (1998-2002, '04-05, '08-10, '13-15) and is the 11th 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 31st season at Michigan (1985-2015). She has compiled a career record of 1,432-471-4, claiming sole possession of second place among the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA history and first among active coaches. She is just 25 wins shy of record holder Margie Wright (1,457). A 15-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Hutchins has guided her players to 59 total All-America citations, including a program-high five in 2015, while 12 Wolverines have earned Academic All-America accolades.
Tholl and Brundage have been Hutchins' primary assistants for the past 17 years, while Tholl recently completed her 22nd overall season with the Wolverines and 13th 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 22 seasons on the Michigan staff, the Wolverines have made 11 WCWS appearances.
As the Wolverines' pitching coach, Brundage, a former All-American at UCLA and 2000 Olympic gold medalist, guided one of the nation's top staffs again in 2015 with a combined 1.66 ERA, 491 strikeouts and dual All-America honors for sophomore RHP Megan Betsa and senior LHP Haylie Wagner. Nemitz just completed her fourth season as the volunteer assistant. She returned to her alma mater in 2012 two years after graduation, during which she played with the NPF's Chicago Bandits. Nemitz was a three-time All-American pitching at Michigan (2007-10).
Junior second baseman Sierra Romero, sophomore leftfielder Kelly Christner and junior centerfielder Sierra Lawrence rounded out the Wolverines' program-best five All-America selections, with Romero and Christner both earning first-team honors. Romero was selected as the 2014-15 Michigan Female Athlete of the Year and named the inaugural recipient of the espnW Softball Player of the Year, while Betsa was unanimously voted Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.
Communications Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
