Title: Head coach, University of Massachussets
Sport: Fastpitch Softball
Career Record:

Elaine Sortino has made winning a habit at the University of Massachusetts. In her 29 years at the helm of the Minutewoman softball program, Sortino has established herself as one of the nation’s most successful collegiate softball coaches and helped to put Massachusetts on the softball map.

Sortino reached a coaching milestone on April 13, 2008 when the Minutewomen swept Temple at home, 9-0 and 10-0, to earn victories 999 and 1,000 of her illustrious career. She became just the eighth coach in Division I softball history to reach the plateau.

On December, 4, 2004, Sortino was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame at its annual convention in Las Vegas, Nev. In 2004, the NFCA also named UMass the 34th-best softball program all-time.

Sortino has led UMass to 20 Atlantic 10 Conference titles, 18 NCAA regional appearances and three trips to the NCAA College World Series. The Minutewomen also made their first trip to the Super Regionals in 2006.
A nine-time A-10 Coach of the Year, Sortino was the first Northeast coach to post over 700 career wins. The nine A-10 awards are the most of any coach in any sport in the conference. Sortino and her staff have been recognized as the Division I Speedline/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Northeast Coaching Staff of the Year on five different occasions, including 2006.

In 2008, UMass made its 14th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. That is tied for the seventh-longest streak in the country. Sortino was recognized as A-10 Coach of the Year for the second-straight season and ninth overall.

Sortino has proven her ability of producing exceptional talent, coaching 24 All-Americans, 11 A-10 Player of the Year selections, 14 A-10 Pitcher of the Year picks, eight A-10 Rookie of the Year honorees and 103 all-conference selections.

In Sortino’s 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.

In addition to her duties as the head softball coach at UMass, Sortino is the Associate Athletic Director for Sports Programs and Student Services as well as the Senior Women’s Administrator.