June 27, 2009
To view Part 1 click here: http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/061109aaa.html.
To view Part 2 click here: http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/061809aaa.html.
FRESNO, Calif. – When Donna Pickel decided to return to full-time teaching, a new coach needed to be named to the Fresno State softball team, and young head coach Margie Wright out of Illinois was offered the job.
Wright was well known in the softball world, not only for her coaching but for her days as a player professionally.
Originally from Warrensburg, Ill,, Wright was a four-year letterwinner in softball and basketball at Illinois State. It was there at a young age that Wright knew she wanted to get into the coaching profession.
“I only went to college to play sports and went to the closest Division I college which was Illinois State,” Wright said. “I was extremely impressed by my coaches that I had there. They opened my eyes and molded my professional life as to what I wanted to do and I really wanted to emulate what they did because they had a very positive impact on me. So I got into coaching because I wanted to teach and I wanted to help other young women become successful, both as athletes and as people.”
Wright then got a teaching job at a local high school and coached five sports: softball, track, basketball, volleyball and bowling.
Then an opportunity came up for Wright to move up in coaching at Eastern Illinois where she was the head volleyball coach and the assistant softball coach.
Her first head coaching job in softball was at her alma mater, Illinois State.
“When my coaches retired from softball at my alma mater and they offered it to me so I took it,” Wright added. “I was there for six years and I could’ve stayed there for a long time but I really wanted an opportunity to coach in good weather and to have a chance to win a national championship.”
Wright then heard about the Fresno State opening from her former basketball coach who was at Cal at the time. She would apply and become one of four finalists before being offered the job.
“My family was very supportive because they knew what my goals were and said that I needed to do it,” Wright said. “I didn’t want to have to leave my family but they were all very supportive of it and I’m glad that I made the move.”
After posting a 163-92-2 record at ISU and winning two conference championships, Wright continued her success at Fresno State and the success of the Bulldog program. And now after 24 years at the helm of the program, Wright has led the ‘Dogs to the top of the softball world while becoming the NCAA’s all-time winningest coach.
The Bulldog softball team became the first Fresno State program to win an NCAA Division I National Championship with a 1-0 victory over Arizona in 1998.
The ‘Dogs have won 21 conference championships, including 10 Western Athletic Conference titles under Wright and three tournament championships.
Fresno State is the only program in Division I to compete in all 28 NCAA Tournaments.
Fresno State Softball Fact Sheet
1. Margie Wright is the WAC and NCAA all-time winningest coach with over 300 victories the conference and 1,345 victories all-time.
2. Coach Wright is the second winningest coach in Division I history in any sport, behind former Bulldog and head baseball coach at Texas, Augie Garrido.
3. Fresno State is the NCAA Division I all-time winning program with 1366 wins, more than any other team in the country.
4. Fresno State won the 1998 National Championship, the first for any Bulldog team.
5. Fresno State is the only team in Division I history to qualify and compete in all 28 NCAA Championships.
6. Fresno State is third all-time in NCAA Tournament wins with 86. 7. The Bulldogs are third all-time in Women’s College World Series appearances with 12.
8. They are ranked fourth in consecutive WCWS appearances with six, ranging from 1987-92.
9. The Bulldogs have won 21 conference titles, 10 in the Western Athletic Conference and three WAC Tournament titles, more than any other team in the history of the conference.
10. In the last 12 years, the Bulldogs have the eighth-best winning percentage in the entire country at .750 with a national championship (1998), two WCWS appearances and 527 wins.
11. In the 2000’s, the ‘Dogs have the ninth-best winning percentage in the country at .726 with 410 wins.
12. Fresno State is one of only six non Pac-10 teams to win a national title.
13. Fresno State along with Cal State Fullerton is the only two non-BCS schools to win a national championship.
14. The Bulldogs have been ranked in 248 out of 280 weekly polls.
15. Coach Wright has coached two NCAA Top VIII Award winners, five Honda Awards Softball Finalists, 18 Academic All-Americans, 55 All-Americans, 107 All-Region selections, 157 All-Conference selections, 16 Olympians and eight professionals.
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