By Amanda Guerriero
Sophomore Pam Dreslinski’s RBI single in the ninth inning helped head softball coach Bill Edwards gain his 600th career win this Sunday when the Pride defeated James Madison, 3-1. The game was resumed in the second inning after rain on Saturday caused the scoreless game to be suspended.
With the win, Edwards’ record improved to 600-294-3 in 17 seasons as head coach of Hofstra. Edwards has become one of only 28 active coaches in the nation with 600 career wins. He is also one of only four other coaches who have reached their 600th win in less than 20 years of experience.
“After he got his 600th win, the team went out to the outfield like our normal ritual where we go out and have a meeting after every game,” Pride freshman pitcher Kayleigh Lotti said. “We had some signs that said ‘600’ and as he came over we cheered and congratulated him. Honestly, when he came over he had no idea that it was even his 600th win. His reaction was ‘was it really?’ and then he thanked us all.”
“We cut out a big ‘600’ and flashed it to him after the game,” freshman Melissa Hodge added. “He had no idea that it was his 600th win.”
Edwards has built an exceptional program that has continued to receive national respect. In the past two seasons, Edwards has guided Hofstra to the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament. Last season turned out to be a record setting one as far as wins go, as the Pride recorded 43 of them, including two at the NCAA Regionals in Alabama. Hofstra was also the regular season and postseason Colonial Athletic Association championships.
In 2004, Edwards led the Pride to the NCAA Regional finals at Stanford University, where Hofstra became the lowest-seeded regional finalist in NCAA Tournament history. The Pride came within one win of reaching the Women’s College World Series.
In the last three years under Edwards, Hofstra has won eight NCAA Tournament games. Furthermore, Edwards has helped pilot the Pride’s eight straight conference tournament titles, a streak that started in 1998.
In the last 14 seasons under Edwards, the Pride has won either a regular season or postseason conference title. In the four seasons the league has been in existence, Hofstra has captured both the regular season and the postseason CAA championships.
In 1993, 1994, 1997 and 2000, Edwards steered the Pride to a top ranking in the Northeast Region Poll. He has also been honored with seven Regional Coach of the Year awards, the past three seasons included.
Even with all of these accomplishments, Edward does not seem to be slowing down even the slightest. This season’s team is playing terrific and is well on its way to another successful season.
“He is an amazing coach and he deserves to be recognized for the great job he does and how much he means to us,” Lotti said.