Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/54462
COACHES BIOS COACHES BIOS THE WRIGHT FILE FRESNO STATE SOFTBALL MARGIE WRIGHT In her 27th season as head coach of the Fresno State softball program, Margie Wright (Illinois State, 1974) has directed the Bulldogs to a national title (1998) while guiding the program to the NCAA Women's College World Series 10 times out of the program's 12 appearances. As the first NCAA Division I softball coach and 24th over- all in NCAA Division I history, regardless of sport, to amass 1,000 Division I career victo- ries and the first to tally 1,400 fastpitch wins, she owns an impressive 26-year school mark of 1,258-427-1 (.747) and a 32-year career record of 1,421-519-3 (.732). While Wright is 81-59 (.579) overall in the postseason, she owns a 26-19 Women's College World Series ledger that boasts an NCAA title, three nation- al runner-up finishes, three third-place show- ings and three fifth-place finishes in her 10 appearances. Having become the NCAA's all-time winningest softball coach in 2000, the ten-time conference coach of the year boasts 17 outright or shared confer- ence titles, three WAC tourna- ment championships, 10 regional champi- onship crowns while leading Fresno State to 26 consecutive NCAA postseason appear- ances. Sporting the most CoSIDA Academic All- Americans at Fresno State, Wright has had at least one academic all-district selection in 19 of her 26 years as the Bulldogs' head coach. On the Division I softball level, she ranks No. 1 overall among active coaches with 16 se- lections while the Bulldog softball program is third overall among all Division I softball schools with 18 honorees. In addition, she has coached 53 All- Americans, 16 Academic All-Americans, four NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Award winners, four Honda Awards Program soft- ball finalists, 16 NCAA individual and 11 NCAA team statistical champions, eight pro- fessionals, 15 Olympians, two NCAA Top VIII Award winners and two No. 1 professional draft picks. With 29 conference player/pitch- er/freshman of the year selections under her tutelage, the Bulldogs are averaging 48 wins a year while she has made Fresno State one of just five programs in Division I softball to make 10 or more trips to the WCWS. After garnering her 1,400th career win last spring, the 2012 season is primed to be an historic milestone season for Wright. She en- ters the year 14 games shy of coaching her 1,700th game at Fresno State (1,686 games), 42 games shy of capturing 1,300 victories at Fresno State and 57 shy of coaching her 2,000th game (1,943). Wright, who was the first head coach to boast 1,000-plus school and Division I career wins at one school, is the only head coach in the history of the Bulldogs' softball program to garner region coach of the year honors (seven times) and is the third head coach at Fresno State to be recognized as a National Coach of the Year (1998). While the "New" Bulldog Diamond surpassed the 500,000 fan mark in 2009 and home attendance broke the 700,000 mark overall in 2011, Wright owns a 640-130-1 (.831) all-time record at Bulldog Diamond. In the polls, the Bulldogs set a then NCAA- best mark of 178 consecutive weeks nation- ally ranked when the polls first started in 1983. In addition, the program has ranked among the Top 10 in 154 weeks. Overall, the 'Dogs have been in the national polls for 29 consec- utive years and have appeared in 254 of 313 weeks since the NCAA's first Top 15 poll in 1983. Per attendance, Fresno State contin- ues to be a dominant draw on the NCAA Di- vision I level. Since 1991 when the NCAA has kept official attendance, Fresno State has been the nation's top attendance in average per date 13 times in 21 years (unofficially 18 times in 26 years) and in total attendance per season 10 times in 21 years (unofficially 15 times in 26 years). Fresno State is one of the top two NCAA Division I all-time winningest fastpitch pro- grams with 1,442 wins -- ahead of UCLA, Florida State, Louisiana-Lafayette, California, Michigan, CS Fullerton, Texas A&M and Okla- homa. While owning the NCAA record for 30 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, Fresno State is third all-time in NCAA Tourna- ment wins (89) and World Series appearanc- es (12). In the final NCAA poll, Wright has guided the program to a final Top 25 ranking every year except four times HEAD COACH ....................................... 27TH (three years the Bulldogs received votes for a 28th place finish) and 14 final Top 10 rankings. .................................................... PERSONAL FRESNO STATE SEASON WITH THE BULLDOGS: 27TH DATE HIRED: AUG. 26, 1985 .................................................... EDUCATION BIRTHDAY: DECEMBER 28 HOMETOWN: WARRENSBURG, ILL. .................................................... PLAYING EXPERIENCE UNDERGRADUATE: ILLINOIS STATE, B.S. IN HEALTH AND EDUCATION (1974) .................................................... COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCE: ILLINOIS STATE, 1971-74 (SOFTBALL, BASKETBALL, FIELD HOCKEY) PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: ST. LOUIS HUMMERS (WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOFTBALL LEAGUE), 1977-79; ASA MAJOR WOMEN'S OPEN DIVISION SOFTBALL COACHING EXPERIENCE .................................................... • Fresno state, 1985-Present, HEAD COACH • IllInoIs state, 1980-85, HEAD COACH • eastern IllInoIs, ASSISTANT COACH, 2 YEARS • MetaMore (Ill.) HIgH scHool, HEAD COACH, 3 YEARS A highly sought after public speaker who is nationally and internationally renowned, Wright is only the third head coach of the Bulldogs' softball program and is the win- ningest coach overall at Fresno State and second among NCAA Division I coaches, regardless of sport. In the fall of 2008, Wright and her 1998 NCAA National Championship Team were in- ducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. Accepted in the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach in 1999, she was honored with her 12th hall of fame induction of her career. In addition, four-time USA Olympic softball medalist Laura Berg was inducted as an in- dividual in the fall 2009 class, giving the pro- gram seven Fresno Athletic Hall of Famers; all who have played for Wright. In the fall of 2006, Wright was inducted into the Fresno County Women Lawyers. In the spring of 2006, she was inducted with the Moline Sexton Ford women's major fastpitch team into the Illinois ASA Hall of Fame. In October 2005 Wright was inducted into the Women's Sports Foundation International Hall of Fame. In the fall of 2001, Wright was hon- ored by the California National Organization for Women in addition to being picked as a support runner for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Torch Relay. In the fall of 2000, Wright was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Associa- tion's Hall of Fame. In the fall of 1999, she was inducted into the Illinois ASA Hall of Fame and the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. She was also recognized by the National Women's Political Caucus of Fresno County with the "Promises to Keep Award." Still fur- ther, Wright was honored by the United States Olympic Committee as the 1998 USOC Na- tional Coach of the Year in Softball. Person- ally inducted as a pitcher in 1979, she was again inducted into Illinois State University's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998 as part of the 1973 ISU national runner-up team at the AIAW College World Series. On the international stage, Wright led the USA National Team to a gold medal as the head coach at the 1998 ISF World Champion- ship; Team USA captured an unprecedented fourth world title in Japan. Prior to snagging gold in Japan, Wright took her coaching talents to the 1996 Sum- mer Olympic Games where she served as an assistant coach who was responsible for the pitchers/catchers. Wright helped the first- ever United States' Olympic Softball Team capture the gold medal in the inaugural year of softball as a medal sport. All under her tutelage and boasting the most representatives by any college or university, five Bulldogs joined Wright on the 1996 USA Olympic Softball 2011 30 SOFTBALL 2012 31 Team and another represented Fresno State on the Puerto Rico team: Laura Berg, Kim Maher, Martha Noffsinger, Julie Smith and Shelly Stokes on Team USA, and Lisa Mize pitched for Team Puerto Rico. On the 2000 USA Softball Olympic gold medal team, three more Bulldogs were members of the USA Women's National Team with Berg knocking in the winning run and Stokes and Amanda Scott serving as alternates. For the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, two for- mer Bulldogs captured gold (Berg and Lovie Jung) while Vanessa Czarnecki, a member of the Greece Olympic Softball Team, made his- tory as part of the first Greek National Team. For the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, Berg and Jung, who were mem- bers of the U.S. National Team, and Robin Mackin, a member of the Canadian National Team, were former Bulldogs who represented Fresno State on the international stage. With four consecutive Olympic appearances, Berg garnered her fourth straight medal when she, along with Jung, captured silver. Prior to her arrival at Fresno State, Wright was 163-92-2 (.638) in six years at Illinois State. She guided the Redbirds to the 1981 AIAW Softball College World Series. She also directed ISU to three State champion- ships from 1980-82. In addition, the Redbirds won two Gateway Conference regular-season crowns (1984-85) and a Gateway Conference Tournament title (1985). While eight Bulldogs have played/coached on the professional level, Scott garnered MVP honors after pitching the NY/NJ Juggernaut to the inaugural 2004 Cowles Cup of the Nation- al Pro Fastpitch league. Smith became the first Bulldog to be a head coach and general manager on the pro ranks as she was named to that position for the Juggernaut franchise in January, 2005. Following her was former Bulldog All-America standout Carie Dever, who was named the 2007 NPF Coach of the Year as head coach of the Washington Glory. Still further, in the summer of 2005, four-time All-American and NCAA Top VIII Award win- ner Jamie Southern pitched the Akron Racers to the 2005 NPF title and helped the Chicago Bandits to the 2008 NPF crown. In 2011, Fresno State posted its 34th consecutive winning season and appeared in its NCAA record-setting 30th consecutive tournament championship. Wright collected her 1,400th career victory and coached the program to its 1,500th win. While home at- tendance eclipsed the 700,000 mark in the 30 years in which NCAA records have been kept, the Bulldogs notched a 35-19 record while appearing in the national polls for the 29th consecutive season. The 'Dogs finished tied for second in the WAC with a 15-6 mark – the Bulldogs have finished either first or second for the 16th consecutive year in league play -- and were the WAC tournament runner-up for the second straight year. Winning the cham- YEAR pionship three times (2009, '07 and 1999), Fresno State has served host to the WAC tournament five times (1999, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011) as a conference af- filiate. Fresno State averaged1,000-plus fans for the 19th consecutive year and drew more than 10,000 fans for the 24th straight season. Four Bulldogs were named all-conference and pitcher/UT Michelle Moses went on to garner her second straight All-West Region honors while being named Easton All-American. In 2010, Wright picked up her 1,200th school win and her 600th home victory as the Bulldogs set a new single-season home run record (51) en route to a 41-20 overall mark – its 20th 40-win season in school history. Fresno State, which finished second in league play with a 15-6 ledger, reached as high as No. 17 in the national polls during the season. In the final polls, Fresno State received votes in the NFCA/USA Today Poll for a 28th place showing while in the USA Softball/ESPN.com Poll the 'Dogs also received votes. While five 'Dogs were selected All-WAC, the program notched its 16th 20-win season at home (22- 5) for the 25th time overall. In 2009, the program captured its 21st conference crown and second WAC Tourna- ment title in three years. Going 38-20 overall, Wright collected her 300th WAC win while guiding the program to its 1,450th victory as the Bulldogs appeared as high as No. 14 in the national polls. In the final polls, the Bull- dogs received votes in both NFCA/USA Today and ESPN.com/USA Softball for a 28th show- ing. Wright picked up her sixth WAC Coach of the Year honor, giving her a total of 10 confer- ence coaching honors. The 2008 season saw a young squad com- pile a 54-13 overall mark, were seeded No. 16 nationally entering NCAA Tournament play and reached as high as the Top 10 nationally in both the USA Today/NFCA and USA Softball/ ESPN.com polls. The Bulldogs, who hosted a NCAA Tournament Regional for the 21st time, finished the year with a No. 15 national rank- ing in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll. Posting its 14th 50-win season under Wright, the 'Dogs finished second in the WAC with a 14-3 mark in addition to setting a new single season record for best away record (neutral and road) with a 29-6 ledger – breaking the 1999 team record (29-7). Rookie Morgan Melloh garnered WAC Pitcher and Freshman of the Year accolades en route to capturing Second Team All-America honors (sixth Bull- dog freshman pitcher to earn All-America ac- colades in first year). Wright collected three personal milestones: 1,100th school win, her 1,300th career victory and 500th career con- ference win. In 2007, Fresno State went 47-18 overall re- cord, collected its second WAC Tournament title and finished second in the league with a 15-3 mark while posting a final No. 25 ranking. Individually, Wright