UMass Minutemen - Softball

Softball

The softball team has solidified itself as the top sports program at UMass over the last 30 plus, years. The program started in 1975 and in just four short seasons would become a national power. From 1978 to 1980 the Minutewomen softball team reached the EAIAW Tournament each year, winning it twice. In two seasons (1978 and 1980) they played in the AIAW World Series. Since the 1980 season the team has been led by legendary head coach, Elaine Sortino.

Since its conversion from the AIAW to the NCAA UMass has played in 21 NCAA Tournaments, and has made 3 trips to the College World Series (1992, 1997, and 1998). They have had players named as All-Americans on 32 different occasions. The team has also dominated the Atlantic 10, winning 23 conference championships. Of the notable softball alumni one of the school's most famous is pitcher Danielle Henderson who pitched in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia and led the United States to a gold medal. Henderson also won the 1999 Honda Sports Award, given annually to the top Collegiate Softball player in the country.

In her tenure as coach of the UMass Softball team Sortino has won over 1,000 games. In her career, UMass has posted 21 30-win seasons, seven 40-win campaign and one 50-win season. Sortino has never had a losing season at the helm of the UMass softball program.

Since 2000 the Softball team has played its home games at the state of the art 1,000 seat UMass Softball Complex.