Title: Head coach, University of California (Berkeley)
Sport: Fastpitch Softball
Career Record thru 2008: 932-457

Since her first year in the dugout in 1988, Diane Ninemire has continually taken the Bears to new heights as one of the winningest and most successful softball programs in the nation. From 1999-2005, Cal made seven straight trips to the College World Series. With a national championship, nine Women’s College World Series trips, and 21 straight NCAA Regional appearances to her credit, it is no wonder that Cal enters every season as a national contender.

Ninemire, who won her 900th career game on Feb. 29 versus Long Beach State, has ac¬cumulated the second-most wins in Pac-10 history (932) and is the 11th softball coach in NCAA history with 900 or more wins.

Since the 1999 season, California is an impressive 489-205, with five 50-win seasons and four 40-win seasons.
During Ninemire’s tenure at Cal, 34 All-America, 83 all-region, and 140 all-conference certificates have been issued to Golden Bear athletes. Two of Ninemire’s former players - Michele Granger and Gillian Boxx - were four-time All-Americans and helped the United States win a Gold Medal as members of the 1996 Olympic Team in Atlanta. Former California Golden Bear Vicky Galindo, who Ninemire coached, was the most recent Cal softball player named to the 2008 15-member Olympic Team roster.
Prior to the 2009 season, Ninemire was announced as one of three members to be inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s 2009 Hall of Fame class.

History was made in 2002 when Ninemire helped direct Cal to its first NCAA Champion¬ship at the WCWS with a 6-0 win over the Arizona Wildcats, the first women’s title in Cal athletic program history. The 2002 team set a school record for wins (56), while Jocelyn For¬est claimed the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor, and Ninemire was chosen as the NFCA National Coach of the Year. Cal became the first Pac-10 team other than UCLA and Arizona to win the softball national title. For¬est went undefeated in Cal’s postseason run and completed the WCWS with a 4-0 record, 0.50 earned run average and 33 strikeouts in 28.0 innings.

In 2004, Ninemire’s winning reputation was recognized internationally when she was named as an assistant coach to the inaugural Greek Olympic softball team. At home, Nine¬mire is a past member of the NCAA Pacific Region Advisory Committee and a former chair of the All-American Selection Committee.

Ninemire began her collegiate playing career at Midland Lutheran College (Fremont, Neb.), leading the team to a state championship as a freshman. After one season, she transferred to Nebraska-Omaha, where she played on both the softball and basketball teams for three years. A shortstop and left fielder, Nine¬mire helped UNO to the 1978 championship and three appearances in the College World Series.