NFCA Softball Convention Hosts Game's Top Coaches, Breaks Attendance Record

The NFCA Softball Convention welcomed the game’s top coaches and leaders while breaking attendance records, marking a milestone event for the sport.

Jenny Dalton-Hill stands at the podium on a stage at NFCA Convention in Las Vegas. | NFCA

Held at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, Nev., the annual National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Convention went off without a hitch, seeing record-breaking attendance, its largest Exhibit Show yet, appearances by guest speakers at all levels of the game, and a celebration of the most influential coaches. 

Just one year after breaking the record of 1,800 attendees, participation surged to 2,025, while the Exhibit Show welcomed 200 companies, 321 booths, and over 800 vendors. 

SPEECHLESS! 😮

It was a record-breaking week in Vegas! We had a total of 2,025 attendees this week making this the LARGEST Convention in NFCA history! This would not be possible if it wasn’t for our amazing coaches who continue to fill their bucket so that the sport of softball… pic.twitter.com/tQyWYF7kk3

— National Fastpitch Coaches Association (@NFCAorg) December 14, 2025

Over the four-day convention, coaches had the opportunity to attend classes and learn from some of the NCAA’s top names. Star guest speakers included Georgia’s Tony Baldwin, Oklahoma’s Patty Gasso, Oregon’s Melyssa Lombardi, Nebraska’s Rhonda Revelle, Tennessee’s Megan Rhodes Smith, and so much more. 

Panels covered a wide range of athletic topics, including pitching, hitting, building team culture, and achieving success throughout the season. 

Here is a glimpse of just a few classes and panels that coaches had the opportunity to join:

• Coaching Dynamic Team Practices
• Advanced Analysis of Hitting
• Creating Competitive Cages: How Texas Tech Uses HitTrax to Turn Up the Heat at Practice
• Develop Your Pitchers and Change Your Culture with South Carolina head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard
• Finding Your Own Voice: The Sooner Coaching Tree, with Michelle Gascoigne (Northwestern), Patty Gasso (Oklahoma), Melyssa Lombardi (Oregon)
• Advanced Analysis of Pitching

Education, education, and more education! Our attendees #RakedItIn all week with all of our fantastic speakers here in Vegas! 🔥🥎 🧠#RakeItIn #NFCA202 pic.twitter.com/pSAvz2bMS8

— National Fastpitch Coaches Association (@NFCAorg) December 14, 2025

While learning opportunities were endless, several current and former outstanding coaches were also recognized. Greg Jones (Winona State), Perry Peterson (Barrington HS), Pat Reardon (Central Methodist), Travis Scott (Angelo State) and Kim Wilson (Rowan) were awarded for hitting the 1,000-win club. At the same time, Chris Hawkins (USC Upstate) and Carol Mitchell (Gibbs HS) were recognized for their 1,100th victory, while West Virginia Wesleyan’s Steve Warner earned win number 1,200, and Florida Southwestern State’s Robert Iamurri grabbed his 1,300th career victory as a head coach.

After celebrating four illustrious coaches, Lu Harris-Champer, Judy Lawes, Mike Reed, and Suzy Willemssen, at the NFCA Hall of Fame ceremony, four more outstanding coaches who have deeply impacted the game of softball at different levels were revealed to be inducted in the Class of 2026. 

NFCA Class of 2026 

• Ken Eriksen (University of South Florida/USA Softball
• Denny Griffin (Alma College) 
• Kirk Walker (UCLA) 
• Veronica Wiggins (Florida A&M, retired) 

A full day of education capped off by the induction of your newest Hall of Famers.

See the highlights from Day 3 at the NFCA Convention!
🔗 https://t.co/gdkGzF3rOe#NFCA2025 #RakeItIn pic.twitter.com/W8OPOIXFmc

— National Fastpitch Coaches Association (@NFCAorg) December 13, 2025

Additionally, each NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year winner addressed the audience along with a video acceptance from Jenna Putala, the Donna Newberry “Perseverance” Award recipient and in-person speeches by OnDeck Softball’s Derek Allister (Melinda Fischer Distinguished Service Award) and NFCA Hall of Famer Kathy Veroni (Humanitarian Award).

The Convention concluded with an afternoon of nine educational sessions covering nutrition, defense, bunting and slapping, pitch calling, throwing, baserunning and defense.

A full recap of the convention is available on the NFCA’s YouTube channel. 

Next year’s convention will take place in Atlantic City, N.J., from Dec. 9-12. Based on 2025’s attendance numbers and remarkable opportunities, you might not want to miss the chance to attend in 2026. 

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