Kim Wilson's Coaching Culture Leads To Hall Of Fame Honor

Kim Wilson is one of the winningest coaches in NCAA Division III softball history with 901 victories. Entering her 27th season as the head coach of the Rowan University softball team, Wilson’s legendary coaching career is far from over, but she has already cemented herself as one of the best college softball coaches ever.

Last month, it was announced that Wilson would receive one of the highest honors in her profession: induction into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame in late 2023.

Before Rowan, Wilson spent six years as the head softball coach at Washington and Jefferson College, where she had a 64-57 record. She led the program to the 1996 Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) championship and was named the conference's Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1996.

Then, during her first two seasons at Rowan, Wilson gave the Profs a glimpse of what was to come. She earned Coach of the Year honors in both the Atlantic Region and the NJAC in 1998, and guided the Profs to a 35-9 record, a conference title and an NCAA Regional appearance.

In 2016, Wilson had her best team yet. The Profs finished tied for third place at the NCAA Division III Championship to give Rowan its best result in program history. The Profs also set a program record that year for wins with 42.

About Wilson, two-time All-American and 2016 Rowan graduate Shilah Snead said, “The culture that she has created within Rowan breeds student-athletes that want to compete at the highest level. She makes you feel comfortable the moment you step on campus. She supports you in all aspects of life and even beyond college. She knows the pressures that student-athletes are under, both athletically and academically, but does a great job at making sure we are succeeding in both aspects.”

In 2018, the Profs found themselves back in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Wilson hit a career milestone that year: her 700th win against Randolph College.

Recently, in 2022, the Profs continued their winning tradition by capturing the NJAC title and advancing to the NCAA Regionals. Wilson was also named the NJAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2022.

“Coach Wilson has built such an incredible culture and tradition within the Rowan Softball program through her 27 seasons,” Rowan assistant softball coach Mary Pat Murray said. “She has remained consistent and reliable for both her players and coaches, all while continuing to learn more about the game to give her team the best opportunity to succeed. She sees the full picture and cares about her student-athletes as humans first, and she builds trust with her players so that she can coach them in the most effective way possible.”

To date, Wilson has led the Profs to eight NJAC titles, 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and one third-place national finish. She has also claimed the NJAC Coach of the Year honor eight times in her illustrious career.

While the future of Wilson's coaching career is unknown, what is certain is that the soon-to-be NFCA Hall of Fame inductee is sure to continue to put a quality product on the field for however long she continues to coach.

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