Sam Houston State Bearkats softball
| Sam Houston State Bearkats | |
 | |
| University | Sam Houston State University |
|---|---|
| Conference | Southland |
| Location | Huntsville, TX |
| Head Coach | Bob Brock (11th year) |
| Home Stadium | Bearkat Softball Complex (Capacity: 400) |
| Nickname | Bearkats |
| Colors | Orange and White
|
| National Championships | |
| 1981 • 1982 • 1993 | |
| WCWS Appearances | |
| NAIA: 1981 NCAA Division II: 1982 • 1983 • 1984 | |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | |
| 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 2007 | |
| Conference Tournament Champions | |
| 1988 • 2007 | |
| Conference Champions | |
| 1988 • 1990 • 1993 | |
The Sam Houston State Bearkats softball team represents Sam Houston State University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Southland Conference. The Bearkats are currently led by head coach Bob Brock. The team plays its home games at the Bearkat Softball Complex located on the university's campus.[1]
History
Early History (1980-90)
Sam Houston State softball first began in 1980. The team was immediately successful as it saw a 19-5 record in its very first season. In only its second season, the team captured its first of three national titles in the 1981 NAIA national softball championship with a 1-0 victory over the Emporia State Lady Hornets.[2] Beginning with the 1982 season, the Bearkats moved up to NCAA Division II but saw no signs of slowing down as they earned three straight DII College World Series berths, with another national title in 1982.[3][4] Following their third consecutive WCWS season in 1983, SHSU softball continued to win, and reached DII regionals the next two years.[3] In 1987, the team failed to make a regional appearance despite a successful 34-26 campaign. This was the first season the softball team did not reach the playoffs since the team's first year. In the 1988 season, the Bearkats were invited to play in the Southland Conference, where the softball team reached the conference tournament in the next three years, including two conference championship seasons.
Rebuilding (1991-2001)
Throughout the early part of the '90s the softball team continued to be a force, earning at least a top 2 conference finish through the 1993 season. In 1993, Sam Houston State would win the last of its three claimed national titles, winning the Women's NIT softball tournament.[2] After this successful season, however, the program would begin its run of mediocrity and never saw a top 4 conference finish again until current head coach Bob Brock took over in 2002.
The Bob Brock Era (2002-Present)
Bearkat Softball has never seen as much stability in the head coach position as it has in the last decade, as Bob Brock is the most tenured coach in Sam Houston's short history. In Bob Brock's 11 seasons, he has coached the softball team to 7 Southland Tournament berths. The 2012 season was his most successful as the Bearkats lost a thriller to Northwestern State in the conference title game.[5]
Year-by-year results
| Year | Head Coach | Collegiate Record |
Conference Record |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Wayne Daigle | 19-5 | — | |
| 1981 | Wayne Daigle | 32-11 | — | NAIA Women's College World Series Champions |
| 1982 | Wayne Daigle | 40-6 | — | Women's DII College World Series Champions |
| 1983 | Wayne Daigle | 43-17 | — | NCAA Division II Women's College World Series (2nd Place) |
| 1984 | Brenda Marshall | 32-22 | — | |
| 1985 | Brenda Marshall | 37-11 | — | NCAA Division II Regionals |
| 1986 | Brenda Marshall | 39-16 | — | NCAA Division II Regionals |
| 1987 | Kalum Haack | 34-26 | — | |
| 1988 | Annie Westfall | 49-17 | — | Southland Conference Regular Season Champions Southland Tournament (7th Place) |
| 1989 | Annie Westfall | 37-20 | — | Southland Tournament National NIT (8th place) |
| 1990 | Annie Westfall | 25-34 | — | Southland Conference Regular Season Champions Southland Tournament |
| 1991 | Marty Blowers | 37-23 | — | |
| 1992 | Marty Blowers | 41-21 | — | |
| 1993 | Marty Blowers | 39-15 | — | Southland Conference Regular Season Champions National NIT Champions |
| 1994 | Marty Blowers | 19-35 | — | |
| 1995 | Marty Blowers | 19-33 | — | |
| 1996 | Marty Blowers | 23-25 | — | National NIT |
| 1997 | Laniegh Clark | 14-32 | — | |
| 1998 | Laniegh Clark | 14-35 | — | |
| 1999 | John Garris | 18-38 | — | |
| 2000 | John Garris | 18-38 | — | |
| 2001 | John Garris | 20-34 | 4-22 | |
| 2002 | Bob Brock | 11-31 | 9-18 | |
| 2003 | | Bob Brock | 23-33 | 12-15 | Southland Tournament |
| 2004 | Bob Brock | 29-23 | 17-9 | Southland Tournament |
| 2005 | Bob Brock | 29-25 | 19-7 | Southland Tournament |
| 2006 | Bob Brock | 18-30 | 11-16 | |
| 2007 | Bob Brock | 38-26 | 20-10 | Southland Tournament NCAA Division I Regional (3rd) |
| 2008 | Bob Brock | 30-31 | 15-15 | Southland Tournament |
| 2009 | Bob Brock | 28-26 | 15-14 | Southland Tournament |
| 2010 | Bob Brock | 21-28 | 12-16 | |
| 2011 | Bob Brock | 22-32 | 14-15 | |
| 2012 | Bob Brock | — | — | Southland Tournament (2nd) |
See also
References
- ↑ "Sam Houston State Softball Stadium". GoBearkats.com. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Important Dates in SHSU history". GoBearkats.com. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Sam Houston State Softball Record Book: Year-by-Year" (PDF). Sam Houston State Athletics. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
- ↑ "Sam Houston State Bearkats National Titles". GoBearkats.com. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
- ↑ Jimmy Watson (2013-05-11). "NSU claims SLC softball tournament crown". Shreveport Times. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
External links
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