Impact
Records
Dani Weir
Woodinville High School
Impact Statement
Weir led her alma mater to state championships after a successful stint on the diamond herself.
Biography
Dani Weir led Woodinville to Washington 4A state championship this past season.
Weir, who won a state championship as a player at Woodinville in 2005 before playing for Boston College, has led the Falcons to four straight league titles, plus finished runner-up in the state in 2016. Woodinville, which finished 26-0 this season, finished ranked No. 4 in the USA TODAY High School Sports Super 25 softball rankings.
Last year, Weir was named the Seattle Times Softball Coach of the Year. Weir is the first coach from Washington to be named the NHSCA’s National Softball Coach of the Year.
Weir is still leading Woodinville to success on and off the field.
Photos
Personal Honors
Crown Point High School
“The game is still the same no matter if they have runners on or if there’s nobody on. Just keep calm, keep confident and keep playing the game the same way.” -Alexis Holloway
“The game is still the same no matter if they have runners on or if there’s nobody on. Just keep calm, keep confident and keep playing the game the same way.” -Alexis Holloway
Alexis Holloway
Crown Point High School
Impact Statement
“The game is still the same no matter if they have runners on or if there’s nobody on. Just keep calm, keep confident and keep playing the game the same way.” -Alexis Holloway
Biography
Alexis Holloway had an outstanding senior season, leading Crown Point to its first-ever state championship in softball. Crown Point won the Class 4A title game with Holloway in the circling, striking-out six batters in the championship game. Crown Point finished 30-2 record. Not only was Holloway the team’s top pitcher with a 22-1 record, she is also one of the best hitters with a batting average above .400.
Holloway, who will attend Notre Dame in the fall, carries a 4.42 GPA. She’s a finalist for the Indiana Miss Softball Award. Holloway has been a First Team member of Indiana’s All-State team three years running. Holloway is the first player from Indiana to win the NSHCA Senior Softball Athlete of the Year Award.
As a freshman, Holloway was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team. As a junior in 2020, she lead the team with a 1.09 ERA for the season.
Photos
Professional Achievements
Gulliver Preparatory School
Schusterman made an impact to many after 39 years of coaching. He led Gulliver to six state championships and owns over 700 career victories.
Schusterman made an impact to many after 39 years of coaching. He led Gulliver to six state championships and owns over 700 career victories.
Mark Schusterman
Gulliver Preparatory School
Impact Statement
Schusterman made an impact to many after 39 years of coaching. He led Gulliver to six state championships and owns over 700 career victories.
Biography
The second NHSCA National Coach of the Year from Gulliver Prep in as many years, Schusterman is a 32-year coaching veteran in five sports.
Schusterman has led the Raiders to five state championships, including the last three in a row. Gulliver Prep won 3A state titles in 1998, 2001, 2010 and 2011, becoming the first Miami-Dade County school to win back-to-back softball state titles, and finished second in state in 2007. The Raiders (27-5) moved up to 4A and made it three straight this season, and were 85-10 over that title run.
Named National Coach of the Year by ESPN Rise in 2011, Schusterman also became Gulliver Prep’s athletic director in 2007 after 13 years as athletic director at Gulliver Middle School, where he expanded the program by adding lacrosse, water polo, boys golf, and sixth-grade football and basketball.
A native of Atlantic City, N.J., Schusterman is a graduate of Florida International University. He began his coaching career in 1980 as an assistant basketball coach at Miami Killian High. He became the head basketball coach at Miami LaSalle High in 1984, moved to Gulliver Prep the next year as the boys basketball and cross country coach, and became the softball coach the following year. He was named Miami-Dade Male Coach of the Year, an all-sports award, by The Miami Herald in 2001.
Schusterman is the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) state softball chairman and is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association softball advisory committee. He was inducted into the FACA Hall of Fame in 2009.
Since being honored, Schusterman continued to lead Gulliver’s softball program. In 2017, Schusterman was inducted into the FHSAA Hall of Fame. On March 17, 2018, he coached his team to his 700th career victory. Schusterman announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2019 season.
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Records
Professional Achievements
James F. Brynes High School
Holcombe has coached Brynes to three consecutive state championships during her career.
Holcombe has coached Brynes to three consecutive state championships during her career.
Debbie Holcombe
James F. Brynes High School
Impact Statement
Holcombe has coached Brynes to three consecutive state championships during her career.
Biography
An ankle injury as a volleyball player at Southern Wesleyan College added a fifth year to Holcombe’s college career and a second major, physical education, to her business administration major. She’s winning games – and awards – 23 years later.
As a rookie volleyball coach at Anderson T.L. Hanna High School in 1989, her team finished 18-4 and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs, earning Holcombe Region 1-4A Coach of the Year honors. She began the first of two stints at Byrnes in 1991 as softball and volleyball coach.
Her first volleyball team finished 26-6, won Region 2-3A regular season and tournament titles and earned Holcombe a second Region Coach of the Year award, while her softball team finished 22-4. She then spent eight years in college coaching – six at Southern Wesleyan, where her volleyball teams finished 79-31 and her softball teams 109-33-1, advancing to the NAIA national tournament in 1996, and two at Presbyterian College. There, she coached the volleyball team to a 54-20 record and started the softball program, which went 31-16 in its inaugural season.
After returning to Byrnes as softball coach in 2001, Holcombe was named Coach of the Year by the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association and National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2005, when she led the Lady Rebels to the 4A state title and the first of three consecutive Upper State crowns. They also won a district title in 2004 and were district runners-up in 2003, 2009 and 2010.
Holcombe also was the South Carolina High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year in 2008 and a finalist for the National High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year in 2009 after being named Southern District High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year.
Holcombe continues to coach at Byrnes at this time.
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Records
Professional Achievements
Napels High School
Iamurri has led teams to success on both the high school level and the junior college level. He is the winningest softball coach in Florida.
Iamurri has led teams to success on both the high school level and the junior college level. He is the winningest softball coach in Florida.
Robert Iamurri
Napels High School
Impact Statement
Iamurri has led teams to success on both the high school level and the junior college level. He is the winningest softball coach in Florida.
Biography
In 25 years at the helm Iamurri has presided over a team that not only owns many of the state’s softball records but has become one of the nation’s most highly regarded programs.
Iamurri led the Golden Eagles to seven 4A state titles in an eight-year span – from 1989-96 – and their 10 state titles are more than any other Florida school. Iamurri has guided his teams to 646 victories, including a sparkling 115-8 record the past four years. That run included Naples’ most recent state title in 2008, an accomplishment that earned Iamurri Spring Coach of the Year honors from the Naples Daily News.
A perennial fixture at or near the top of the national polls, the Golden Eagles finished 28-2 this season and were ranked No. 1 nationally before falling in the state championship game 3-2 in a nine-inning marathon. Of Iamurri’s 646 wins, 70 have come in state tournament play – also a state record – against just 12 losses. He has guided Naples to 22 state playoff appearances and recorded at least one win in 21 of those.
Named the state’s Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1996, Iamurri was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
Iamurri continued to lead Naples upon being honored until he stepped down in 2014. He is the winningest coach in Florida’s history with 817 wins.
He was hired as the Head Coach for Softball at Florida Southwestern State. In the past five years his record is 226-31. The Bucs have had three berths to the NJCAA National Tournament. He’s coached five NJCAA 1st Team All-Americans during his time thus far.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Personal Honors
Jefferson High School
“Coaching was easy for me.”
-Larry Niemeyer
Niemeyer boasts a 2,089-429 career record.
“Coaching was easy for me.”
-Larry Niemeyer
Niemeyer boasts a 2,089-429 career record.
Larry Niemeyer
Jefferson High School
Impact Statement
“Coaching was easy for me.”
-Larry Niemeyer
Niemeyer boasts a 2,089-429 career record.
Biography
In 49 years at two Iowa high schools – Adel High and Jefferson – Niemeyer, who turns 72 in September, has won over 2,500 games as a softball and girls’ basketball coach. His career softball record – 1,651-338 – makes him the nation’s all-time leader by more than 600 wins over his nearest competition. That total does not include 332 wins in fall softball in his early days at Adel, where he led the school to a fall state title in an open-class system. After winning 17 straight conference titles at Adel, Niemeyer took over a Jefferson team that had won just 25 games in its previous five seasons.
Five years later Jefferson won the first of three state softball championships under his direction. His basketball team won the 1993 state championship with a 29-0 record and advanced to four state title games. His teams have a 843-294 record, No. 2 on Iowa’s all-time victory list. His state titles in cross country and indoor track make him Iowa’s only coach to win titles in four different sports.
The National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) named him its national Coach of the Year in softball in 1989 and girls basketball in 1996, and he was inducted into the NHSCA Hall of Fame in 2002. He also has been inducted into the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Hall of Fame in both sports.
Niemeyer continued to coach his teams to victory. When he retired in 2015, he finished his career with a 2,089-429. He is also currently third overall in basketball wins in Iowa, with an 871-352 record.
In September of 2016 Niemeyer threw the first pitch at Wrigley Field prior to the Chicago Cubs game.
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Records
Professional Achievements
William Cullen Bryant High School
Wally Hausdorf has led the Lady Owls to over 1,000 career wins during his tenure at Bryant.
Wally Hausdorf has led the Lady Owls to over 1,000 career wins during his tenure at Bryant.
Wally Hausdorf
William Cullen Bryant High School
Impact Statement
Wally Hausdorf has led the Lady Owls to over 1,000 career wins during his tenure at Bryant.
Biography
In Hausdorf’s first game at Bryant, his team lost 23-0. Today, 28 seasons later, that loss is a distant memory. When his Lady Owls shut out Bronx Leadership High earlier this season, Hausdorf became the first softball coach in New York State history to post 600 career victories.
At press time his career record was 612-188, a .765 winning percentage, including a 9-3 mark in section play this year. His teams have qualified for the playoffs 25 times, won 12 division titles and made four Final Four appearances. A physical education teacher and the school’s Coordinator of Student Affairs, Hausdorf also coaches Bryant’s junior varsity girls’ volleyball and girls’ basketball teams.
The Queens native played baseball and basketball at Middle Village Christ the King High and York College and served as head baseball coach at Baruch College and Queensborough Community College. He was also the assistant men’s basketball coach at two SUNY schools, Stony Brook and Old Westbury, prior to taking the reins at Bryant.
Since being honored in 2007, Hausdorf has been leading the way for the Lady Owls. On April 5, 2012 Hausforf hit the momentous 1,000th career victory.
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Articles
Records
Baker High School
Scarbrough has led Baker to an impressive history with over 1500 wins in his storied career.
Scarbrough has led Baker to an impressive history with over 1500 wins in his storied career.
Tony Scarbrough
Baker High School
Impact Statement
Scarbrough has led Baker to an impressive history with over 1500 wins in his storied career.
Biography
In 21 seasons Scarbrough has taken a Baker program, which had never won more than 12 games in a season before he arrived, to the top of the softball mountain in Alabama. During his career, which included 12 years in the slow-pitch state series before converting Baker to fast-pitch in 1999, Scarbrough has built a career record of 1,088-314 and won six Class 6A state titles – three consecutive slow-pitch titles from 1991-93 and fast-pitch crowns in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Scarbrough’s last five teams own a 361-37 record.
His 2005 team, perhaps the best in state history, finished 78-3 and set or tied 20 state records. This year’s team broke one of those records by finishing 79-7. Prior to taking the reins at Baker, Scarbrough won over 1,000 games, 17 metro titles, eight state titles and four national titles as a Junior Olympic softball coach. He was inducted into the Mobile Softball Hall of Fame in 1992.
Since being honored in 2007, Scarbourgh continue to lead Baker. In 2015 Baker won another State Championship by winning the first 7A division. In 2019 he entered his 34th year of coaching at Baker.
In 2017, Scarbourgh was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Photos
Articles
Records
Professional Achievements
Fort Bend Elkins High School
McClanahan’s team holds the longest winning steak in Texas, and fourth nationally, with 76 straight wins.
McClanahan’s team holds the longest winning steak in Texas, and fourth nationally, with 76 straight wins.
James McClanahan
Fort Bend Elkins High School
Impact Statement
McClanahan’s team holds the longest winning steak in Texas, and fourth nationally, with 76 straight wins.
Biography
At press time McClanahan’s Elkins High squad was four victories away from a second consecutive 39-0 season record, a second consecutive Class 5A state title and a second consecutive finish in the No. 1 spot in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) High School Top 25.
McClanahan and his assistant coaches were named the Speedline/NFCA High School National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2004. Should Elkins repeat, McClanahan, completing his 11th season, would be 143-10 in his last four seasons. His 2003 team was a state semifinalist.
McClanahan’s team holds the longest winning steak in Texas, and fourth nationally, with a 76 game winning streak as of 2005.
Since his honoring in 2005, McClanahan coached at Elkins until 2011 when he took over at Fort Bend Ridge Point.
In 2015, McClanahan took Ridge Point to the state championship, a first for any team sport, and won his 500th game.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Cactus High School
Griffith has led Cactus to multiple state championships throughout his career.
Griffith has led Cactus to multiple state championships throughout his career.
Jeff Griffith
Cactus High School
Impact Statement
Griffith has led Cactus to multiple state championships throughout his career.
Biography
Griffith has built a powerhouse in the Phoenix area during his 23 years as head coach. Entering this season, his teams at Cactus have an overall record of 479-161-7 and won five Class 4A state titles, in 1987, 1989, 1994, 2003 and 2004.
Cactus also finished as the state runner-up in 1988, 1995 and 2002 and has won 13 region titles. After bowing out in the region final a year ago, this year’s team, led by the nation’s top senior catcher, Stacie Chambers, is ranked No. 3 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) High School Top 25.
Griffith was also named the 2004 NHSCA Softball Coach of the Year. Griffith ‘s Cobras now have back-to-back Class 4A state titles after a perfect 38-0 season this year.
After 23 years Griffith retired in 2006 leaving quite the legacy.
That being said, Griffith couldn’t stay away for too long and came out of retirement. He took a position at Paradise Valley Junior College. In 2011, Griffith went back to Cactus as the assistant coach.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Bartow High School
Rutenbar continues to add to his coaching resume at the college level after 28 years at Bartow High School.
Rutenbar continues to add to his coaching resume at the college level after 28 years at Bartow High School.
Glenn Rutenbar
Bartow High School
Impact Statement
Rutenbar continues to add to his coaching resume at the college level after 28 years at Bartow High School.
Biography
It is always special when a coach starts a new program and remains committed to its success,” said NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro. “The NHSCA is proud to recognize Glenn Rutenbar as the National High School Softball Coach of the Year.”
Rutenbar has coached the Bartow High Yellow Jackets since the school began its softball program in 1987. In that span Bartow has won four state championships, 12 district titles and Rutenbar has tallied a coaching record of 453-87-1, as of receiving this honor. This year’s Rutenbar-coached Bartow team defended its Class 3A 2002 state championship season by posting an impressive 9-0 victory in the state final game against Navarro High. After finishing the season outscoring its opposition by a total of 267-22, Bartow (32-0-1) was also ranked No. 1 in the United States in multiple end-of-season prep softball polls. Rutenbar led the Yellow Jackets to the State’s Final Four 16 times. The Yellow Jackets had a streak of 10 Championships appearances from 1997-2006.
After 28 season, Rutenbar hung up his cleats at the conclusion of the 2014 season, but didn’t stay away from the diamond long. He began coaching at Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL but went back to Bartow and is still coaching the Yellow Jackets.
Photos
Records
Professional Achievements
Crescent High School
“Teaching and coaching is about encouraging and training people.” -Gary Adams
“Teaching and coaching is about encouraging and training people.” -Gary Adams
Gary Adams
Crescent High School
Impact Statement
“Teaching and coaching is about encouraging and training people.” -Gary Adams
Biography
In 26 years of coaching Adams has won nearly 1,000 games while coaching softball and boys basketball. Since 1976, Adams’ softball teams have a record of 629-63, and have reached the Class AA state finals every year since 1980. A national record, 17 of those teams have won titles, including a streak of 11 straight from 1987-97.
The National High School Athletic Coaches Association selected him as the National Coach of the Year in 1991 and he has been named conference or region Coach of the Year 15 times. From 1976 to 1992, Adams also was the school’s boys basketball coach, leading that squad to two state titles and one runner-up finish. The South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association (SCACA) named him its basketball Coach of the Year three times and he was conference Coach of the Year seven times. The SCACA also presented Adams with its Outstanding Service Award in 1994 and 1999. He is one of three coaches to be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame this year.
Adams retired in June of 2019 after 43 years with a staggering 33 straight region titles. Adams also boasts 19 championships, 11 consecutive titles from 1987-1997 and eight state runner-ups. He hangs up his cleats with a career record of 1,043-169. This is the most wins by any coach in any sport in South Carolina history.
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Articles
Records
Professional Achievements
Weatherford High School
Ross has led his Softball and Football teams to success until being a Principal at Anderson-Shiro High School in 2018.
Ross has led his Softball and Football teams to success until being a Principal at Anderson-Shiro High School in 2018.
Dwayne Ross
Weatherford High School
Impact Statement
Ross has led his Softball and Football teams to success until being a Principal at Anderson-Shiro High School in 2018.
Biography
Ross led Weatherford High to a perfect 34-0 record and the Class 4A state championship in 2000. A two-sport coach, Ross also led the softball team to a second-place finish in 1999, the same year Weatherford High’s football team, for which he is an assistant coach, reached the Division I Class 4A state quarterfinals.
Ross, who teaches health and U.S. history, also is the chairman of Weatherford High’s physical education department. He has coached at Weatherford High for six years. Ross would lead Weatherford the following year to start a program at Dublin High School.
After eight seasons at Dublin, Ross announced his departure. Ross took a position at a new school, Anderson-Shiro Consolidated, in Anderson, Texas. Ross also spent five years coaching the Iola High School football team until 2018.
Ross is currently the Principal of Anderson-Shiro Junior Senior High School.
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Records
Brazoswood High School
Bollin led the Lady Buccaneers to the 2000 Class 5A Texas State Championship and compiled a 171-30-1 record in her six years at Brazoswood.
Bollin led the Lady Buccaneers to the 2000 Class 5A Texas State Championship and compiled a 171-30-1 record in her six years at Brazoswood.
Shelly Bollin
Brazoswood High School
Impact Statement
Bollin led the Lady Buccaneers to the 2000 Class 5A Texas State Championship and compiled a 171-30-1 record in her six years at Brazoswood.
Biography
“Shelly Bollin is an outstanding example for successful high school softball coaches,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “They place a high value on the teamwork skills players learn for success in the classroom and on the field, and we are proud to be honoring her.”
Bollin coached Brazoswood High to a perfect 37-0 record and won the Class 5A state title. Brazoswood finished No. 1 in the final USA Today Super 25 High School Softball team rankings and was one of only two teams in the final Super 25 to finish the season unbeaten (Texas Class 4A champion Weatherford High was the other).
Bollin resigned from her position at Brazoswood with a career record of 171-30-1. In 2010 Bollin accepted a position at Clear Brook High School where she coached for a year, leading the team to a playoff berth.
Bollin passed away in January of 2014 after a hard fought battle with cancer.
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