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Fresno State Bulldogs softball

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Parent: Women's College World Series Hop 4
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Fresno State Bulldogs softball
NameFresno State Bulldogs softball
UniversityCalifornia State University, Fresno
ConferenceMountain West Conference
LocationFresno, California
StadiumMargie Wright Diamond
Capacity1,500
NicknameBulldogs
ColorsCardinal and Blue
Ncaa tourneys1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Ncaa wcws1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999
Ncaa super reg1998, 1999, 2002, 2009, 2018
Aiaw wcws1980, 1981
Conference tourney2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Conference regular1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023

Fresno State Bulldogs softball represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I competition. The program is a member of the Mountain West Conference and has established itself as one of the most successful in the Western United States. Under the legendary leadership of Margie Wright, the team captured the 1998 national championship, the first for any West Coast school. The Bulldogs have made numerous appearances in the Women's College World Series and are a perennial contender in the NCAA Division I softball tournament.

History

The program began in 1970 under coach Judi Garman before achieving national prominence with the hiring of Margie Wright in 1986. Wright's tenure transformed the Bulldogs into a powerhouse, culminating in the historic 1998 national title victory over the Arizona Wildcats at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. The team competed in the Big West Conference for many years before joining the Western Athletic Conference and later the Mountain West Conference in 2013. Key moments in program history include back-to-back Women's College World Series appearances in 1988 and 1989 and a dominant run through the late 1990s.

Facilities

The team plays its home games at Margie Wright Diamond, located on the university's campus in Fresno, California. The stadium, named for the hall of fame coach, features permanent seating for 1,500 spectators and a state-of-the-art playing surface. The facility includes dedicated locker rooms, batting cages, and a press box, and has hosted numerous NCAA Division I softball tournament regional competitions. The complex is part of the larger Bob Bennett Stadium athletic precinct.

Season-by-season results

The Bulldogs have consistently posted winning records since the early 1980s, with over 40 consecutive seasons above .500. The program has won over 30 regular-season conference championships across the Big West Conference, Western Athletic Conference, and Mountain West Conference. Season highlights include the undefeated conference run in 1998 and multiple appearances in the NCAA Division I softball tournament Super Regionals, such as in 2009 and 2018. Annual rivalry games against schools like the San Jose State Spartans and the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine are fixture.

Championships and awards

The program's pinnacle achievement is the 1998 NCAA Division I softball championship. The Bulldogs have also appeared in the Women's College World Series five times (1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999). The team has claimed over 40 conference tournament and regular-season titles. Individual national awards include the Honda Sports Award won by Lovieanne Jung and the NFCA National Freshman of the Year honor earned by Jamie Southern. Numerous players have been named NFCA All-American and All-Mountain West Conference.

Notable players

Many alumni have achieved success in professional softball and coaching. Lovieanne Jung was a member of the United States women's national softball team that won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Jamie Southern holds numerous program pitching records and played professionally in National Pro Fastpitch. Michelle Carew, daughter of baseball hall of famer Rod Carew, was a standout infielder. Other notable players include Katie Cotta, Morgan Melloh, and Brenna Moss, all of whom earned all-American honors and played in the Women's College World Series.

Head coaches

The program has been led by four primary head coaches. Founder Judi Garman coached from 1970 to 1979 before becoming the highly successful coach at Cal State Fullerton. Mickey DeMoss led the team from 1980 to 1985. The iconic Margie Wright served from 1986 to 2012, amassing over 1,200 wins and the national championship. The current coach, Linda Garza, a former Bulldogs pitcher under Wright, was hired in 2022 after coaching stints at Grand Canyon University and serving as an assistant at the University of Texas.

Category:College softball in the United States Category:Fresno State Bulldogs