LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is pleased to expand its recognition of member coaches with the announcement of its inaugural Assistant Coach of the Year winners.
These awards salute the efforts of coaches from the various NFCA membership categories for their tireless dedication to the sport of softball and to the continued education, growth and development of young women, both on and off the playing field. All seven of this year’s first class of recipients played a pivotal role in their team’s success during the 2013-14 softball season.
NCAA Division I: Jen McIntyre, Boston University
McIntyre, recently hired as the head coach at the University of Connecticut, coordinated recruiting, compliance, academics and strength and conditioning, plus coached the outfielders and offense, as the Terriers’ associate head coach this past year under Kathryn Gleason. Beyond her coaching, McIntyre’s energy and positive attitude helped guide Boston University to 36 wins and school records in four offensive categories. The Terriers captured the Patriot League title in their first season in the conference and advanced to the NCAA Regionals at the University of Arizona.
NCAA Division II: Kayla Lucas, Georgia College
Lucas serves as the recruiting coordinator, strength, pitching and outfield coach, and also helps with the Bobcats’ hitters. The pitching staff’s ERA dropped a full run under her tutelage and the team’s batting average improved 19 points from the previous season. One of the squad’s outfielders earned first team NFCA All-America status and she ran the entire softball program during the first six weeks of the school year with head coach Jamie Grodecki out on maternity leave.
NCAA Division III: Beth Bonuso, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Bonuso just finished her 13th season assisting head coach Brenda Volk, primarily with the outfielders, but also spending countless hours on the team’s mental preparation. She produces creative and entertaining PowerPoint presentations for the team each week and Volk credits that mental preparation as a primary factor in the squad’s never-say-die attitude en route to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship this past spring. Every player listed Bonuso’s mental game work as one of the positive things they took away from a very successful season.
NAIA: Craig Fletcher, William Carey University
Fletcher has done anything and everything that head coach Wendy Hogue has needed over the past eight years. From field maintenance to batting practice to supervising weight room workouts, Fletcher has regularly arrived early and stayed late. Hogue said he has always set the bar high and demanded nothing but the best from his players —13 of which have earned All-America status during his tenure — while at the same time being a positive role model for the team and his family.
NJCAA Division I: Karina Cannon, Odessa College
Cannon’s responsibilities on head coach Joel Prickett’s staff include pitchers, catchers, outfielders, international recruiting, camp administrator, pitch calling and opponent scouting. She has coached one first team and two second team NJCAA All-America pitchers, an All-Region catcher, a pair of NFCA first team All-Region players (one pitcher and catcher), an NFCA second team All-America catcher and a NFCA third team All-America pitcher.
NJCAA Division II: Carie Dever Boaz, Northwest Mississippi Community College
Dever Boaz helped the Rangers set single-season school records in eight offensive categories in her first season assisting head coach Mike Rowan. She has over 20 years of experience as a coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels and is a well-known clinician and author, with five instructional videos to her credit.
High School: Dawn Dziedzic, Monsignor Donovan (N.J.) Catholic
Dziedzic has assisted head coach Debbie Schwartz with all facets of a school’s softball program for the past 24 years, the first 23 together at Toms River East. On game day, she calls pitches and tracks opposing batters to maximize the team’s attack. She showed loyalty to Schwartz by declining to succeed her as head coach at Toms River — despite Schwartz’s recommendation — because she felt Schwartz was treated unfairly there, and instead moved with Schwartz to Monsignor Donovan.
The winners were nominated by their NFCA member head coach and selected by a panel of their peers on the NFCA Awards Committee. The recipients are all active NFCA members.