UMass Minutewomen softball

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UMass Minutewomen softball
UMass Amherst athletics logo.svg
University University of Massachusetts Amherst
Head coach Danielle Henderson (3rd season)
Conference Atlantic 10
Location Amherst, MA
Home stadium Sortino Field
Nickname Minutewomen
ColorsMaroon and white [1]
   
NCAA WCWS appearances
1992, 1997, 1998
NCAA Super Regional appearances
2006
NCAA Tournament appearances
1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Conference Tournament championships
1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Regular Season Conference championships
1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018

The UMass Minutewomen softball team represents the University of Massachusetts Amherst in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). The Minutewomen are currently led by head coach Danielle Henderson. The team plays its home games at Sortino Field located on the university's campus. [2]

Contents

History

Since joining the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1983, the Minutewomen have had a significant amount of success. UMass has won the Atlantic 10's regular season championship 24 times, the conference tournament 23 times, and qualified for the NCAA Division I softball tournament 21 times, all conference records. [3] [4]

The program rose to prominence after the hiring of Elaine Sortino in 1980. Under Sortino, the Minutewomen had one losing season in 34 years and advanced to the Women's College World Series three times, doing so in 1992, 1997, and 1998. [5] In the 1992 NCAA Division I softball tournament, UMass qualified for the Women's College World Series after defeating and eliminating Connecticut and Utah State. After being defeated by eventual National Champions UCLA, the Minutewomen were sent to the loser's bracket. The team went on to defeat Florida State and Long Beach State, advancing to the final four of the tournament. They were again defeated and eliminated by UCLA. [6] [7]

In the 1997 tournament, UMass hosted their own regional for the first time in program history. The team defeated Boston College twice and Colorado State three times to advance to the Women's College World Series. The Minutewomen were eliminated from the tournament after losing to eventual National Champions Arizona and Fresno State. [8] [9] [10] In the 1998 tournament, UMass again hosted their own regional and advanced to the Women's College World Series after defeating Boston College once and Oklahoma twice. The team was eliminated from the tournament after losing to Washington and Oklahoma State. [11] [12]

Sortino was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year 11 times, winning the award each year from 1991 to 1993, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2007 to 2009, and 2012. [3] [13] Kristi Stefanoni, who replaced Sortino after she died in 2013, was named A-10 Coach of the Year in 2018. [14] [15] [16] UMass has won A-10 Player of the Year 15 times in its history, doing so each year from 1990 to 1993, 1996, 1999, 2001 to 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2018. The program has won A-10 Pitcher of the Year 17 times, winning in 1994, 1995, 1997 to 1999, 2001 to 2003, 2006 to 2012, and 2018. [17]

Current head coach and former pitcher Danielle Henderson was named to the 2000 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal with Team USA. [18] [19]

Coaching history

YearsCoachRecord%
1975–1976Jean Follansbee4–15.211
1977–1978Diane Thompson36–10.783
1979Chet Gladchuck26–2–1.914
1980–2013 Elaine Sortino 1,185–508–6.699
2014–2021Kristi Stefanoni167–158–1.514
2022–present Danielle Henderson 36–66.353

Roster

2024 UMass Minutewomen roster
 

Pitchers

  • 6 – Julianne Bolton – Junior
  • 24 – Jenna Bradley – Senior
  • 22 – Natalee Horton – Sophomore
  • 51 – Hannah Streicher – Freshman

Catchers

  • 8 – Lydia Castro – Junior
  • 31 – Olivia Packard – Sophomore
 

Infielders

  • 21 – Grace Cadden – Junior
  • 10 – Riain Keefe – Sophomore
  • 13 – Bella Pantoja – Senior
  • 25 – Angie Rama – Sophomore
  • 23 – Taylor Richardson – Junior
  • 7 – Taylor Spexarth – Senior
  • 88 – Odyssey Torres – Freshman

Outfielders

  • 67 – Grace Colucci – Freshman
  • 15 – Jordyn Graime – Senior
  • 5 – Riley Kairer – Freshman
  • 17 – Payge Suggs – Senior
  • 2 – Giana Wameling – Junior
  • 12 – Chloe Whittier – Senior

Utility

  • 19 – Sarah Keagy – Senior
  • 3 – Abby Packard – Senior
 
Reference: [20]

Season by season results

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
UMass Minutewomen (AIAW)(1975–1982)
1975Jean Follansbee 1–7
1976Jean Follansbee 3–8
1977Diane Thompson 16–2
1978Diane Thompson 20–8
1979Chet Gladchuck 26–2–1
1980 Elaine Sortino 23–3
1981Elaine Sortino 16–8
1982Elaine Sortino 18–7
UMass Minutewomen (Atlantic 10 Conference)(1983–present)
1983Elaine Sortino 28–10
1984Elaine Sortino 29–124-2
1985Elaine Sortino 25–23–15–54th
1986Elaine Sortino 36–98–21st NCAA Regionals
1987Elaine Sortino 35–126–4T–2nd NCAA Regionals
1988Elaine Sortino 36–1611–11st
1989Elaine Sortino 35–199–3T–2nd NCAA Regionals
1990Elaine Sortino 27–209–32nd
1991Elaine Sortino 35–1112–01st NCAA Regionals
1992Elaine Sortino 39–1610–01st Women's College World Series
1993Elaine Sortino 33–209–11st
1994Elaine Sortino 31–198–21st
1995Elaine Sortino 40–229–11st NCAA Regionals
1996Elaine Sortino 38–15–114–01st NCAA Regionals
1997Elaine Sortino 37–2312–31st Women's College World Series
1998Elaine Sortino 45–1415–11st Women's College World Series
1999Elaine Sortino 43–1013–11st NCAA Regionals
2000Elaine Sortino 35–2313–31st NCAA Regionals
2001Elaine Sortino 44–1321–01st NCAA Regionals
2002Elaine Sortino 53–1321–01st NCAA Regionals
2003Elaine Sortino 38–1511–11st NCAA Regionals
2004Elaine Sortino 34–1711–16th NCAA Regionals
2005Elaine Sortino 37–16–113–32nd NCAA Regionals
2006Elaine Sortino 41–1617–3T–1st NCAA Super Regional
2007Elaine Sortino 39–14–118–01st NCAA Regionals
2008Elaine Sortino 42–1320–01st NCAA Regionals
2009Elaine Sortino 41–1016–21st NCAA Regionals
2010Elaine Sortino 42–10–117–0–11st NCAA Regionals
2011Elaine Sortino 29–1914–52nd
2012Elaine Sortino 38–1319–01st NCAA Regionals
2013Elaine Sortino 18–2512–108th
2014Kristi Stefanoni 16–22–19–6–14th
2015Kristi Stefanoni 15–288–148th
2016Kristi Stefanoni 26–2416–63rd
2017Kristi Stefanoni 29–2413–62nd
2018Kristi Stefanoni 35–1421–01st
2019Kristi Stefanoni 26–2212–52nd
2020Kristi Stefanoni 4–70–0N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021Kristi Stefanoni 16–1712–125th
2022 Danielle Henderson 19–3212–12T–6th
2023Danielle Henderson 17-348-188th
2024Danielle Henderson 20-3514-126th
Total:1,454–759–8 (.656)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[3] [17] [21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "University of Massachusetts Amherst Athletics Official Style Guide" (PDF). Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Sortino Field - Facilities". University of Massachusetts Athletics.
  3. 1 2 3 "SOFTBALL RECORD BOOK THROUGH 2016-17 SEASON (PDF) - Atlantic 10" (PDF). static.atlantic10.com.
  4. ↑ "UMass Walks Off with the 2012 A-10 Softball Championship". atlantic10.com. May 12, 2012.
  5. ↑ Canelas, Nick. "Legendary UMass softball coach Elaine Sortino dies after battle with cancer".
  6. ↑ "Memories From the Women's College World Series: Rachel Lawson - Extra Inning Softball".
  7. ↑ "1992 NCAA Women's College World Series". Softball History USA. December 1, 2020.
  8. ↑ "1997 NCAA Women's College World Series". Softball History USA. December 3, 2020.
  9. ↑ "1997 Softball Schedule". University of Arizona Athletics.
  10. ↑ "1990 National Collegiate Division I Women's Softball Championship" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org.
  11. ↑ "The Automated ScoreBook Game Results for NCAA (as of May 10, 2015) (All games)" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org.
  12. ↑ "Division I Softball Championship Results" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org.
  13. ↑ "Elaine Sortino - Softball Coach". University of Massachusetts Athletics.
  14. ↑ "Cozza, Oliver, Rauch and Stefanoni Win Major A-10 Softball Awards". atlantic10.com. May 8, 2018.
  15. ↑ MassLive, Daniel Malone | Special to (June 29, 2014). "Interim no more: Kristi Stefanoni named UMass softball head coach". masslive.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ "Softball: Northern legend Stefanoni takes over at UMass". Burlington County Times.
  17. 1 2 "2020 softball record book" (PDF). University of Massachusetts Athletics.
  18. ↑ "Danielle HENDERSON". olympics.com.
  19. ↑ "Olympics: UMass softball coach Danielle Henderson reflects on Sydney games, softball's return". gazettenet.com.
  20. ↑ "2024 Softball Roster". University of Massachusetts Athletics.
  21. ↑ "2023 Softball Standings". atlantic10.com.
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