Fresno State softball coaches earn NFCA regional award

The Fresno State softball coaching staff was named the best in the NFCA’s Pacific Region, earning the Regional Coaching Staff of the Year award, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Monday.

The Bulldogs went 42-12-1 en route to their second consecutive Mountain West title under head coach Trisha Ford, assistant coaches Sara Pickering and Carly Wynn, volunteer assistant Jeff Harger, student manager Andrew Rich and director of operations Taylor Green.

Ford, who also was named the MW Coach of the Year last month, finished her fourth season at the helm that saw the Bulldogs win 23 in a row, including a perfect 15-0 run through April.

The Fresno State staff is one of 10 across the country to earn NFCA regional honors, including five that reached the 2016 Women’s College World Series in national champion Oklahoma (Central Region), Michigan (Great Lakes), Alabama (South), Auburn (Southeast) and UCLA (West). Also on the list are Notre Dame (Mid Atlantic), North Dakota State (Midwest) and the University of South Florida (Mideast).

The 10 regional winning staffs will go up for the NFCA’s National Coaching Staff of the Year award, which will be announced June 29.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Fresno State softball coaches earn NFCA regional award."