UMASS Minutemen Softball, University Of Massachusetts – Amherst

Conference: Atlantic 10
Location: Amherst, MA
Head Coach: Elaine Sortino
Home Stadium: UMass Softball Complex
Mascot: Sam the Minuteman
Nickname: Minutemen/Minutewomen
Fight song: Fight Mass
Colors: Maroon and White

The UMASS Minutemen softball team represents the University of Massachusetts in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They are currently coached by head coach Elaine Sortino playing their home games at the UMASS Softball Complex located on the university’s campus. The Minutemen finished their 2009 season by losing a 15 inning heartbreaker to Washington in an elimination game in the NCAA Amherst Regional. The Minutemen completed the season with a solid 41-10 record.

With her 29 years at the helm of the Minutewoman softball program, Coach Sortino has established herself and the Minutemen program as one of the nation’s most successful collegiate softball coaches and helped to put Massachusetts on the softball map. She has an UMass record of 1,017-432-5.
In 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. In 2008, UMass made its 14th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. That is tied for the seventh-longest streak in the country. Under Sortino, UMass has never had a losing season.

During her tenure, Umass has produced 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.