Bloomsburg University Coaching Legend Jan Hutchinson Announces Retirement

BLOOMSBURG-- One of this country's true coaching legends, Jan Hutchinson of Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, has announced her retirement from coaching at the end of the 2010 softball season.

Hutchinson, now in her 32nd season at Bloomsburg, has amassed 1,747 combined wins as head coach of both field hockey and softball. As head field hockey coach she is in charge of a program that has won 15 national championships and 16 conference titles in the past 28 years; while as softball coach she is the NCAA Division II all-time leader in career wins and has made an NCAA-record 27 consecutive trips to the Division II tournament.

For Hutchinson there are many things that she will miss after she steps away.

"Of course most of all I will miss spending everyday with the athletes," said Hutchinson. "We have been fortunate to have had so many wonderful players...great athletes, great students, tremendous individuals. Day in and day out, by far the most fun part of coaching is being with the athletes."

As a coach, she also leaves a legacy few can match. Has she ever stopped to think about her impact?

"I have always taken one year at a time and tried to help each softball and field hockey team set high goals and then work hard to achieve them," Hutchinson said. "I never know my win-loss record, but I do know how many titles the teams have won since that is always our highest goal. We have worked hard to make sure all of our players and teams experience the thrill of success. Now, when I look back at the stats, the records and the championships it is definitely overwhelming. I certainly have had more than my fair share of success and am extremely grateful to all players, assistant coaches and administrators, past and present, who have been a part of Bloomsburg field hockey and softball."

With over 2,000 games coached there are many things to be proud of.

"All the championships are special, but the 1981-82 academic year (her fourth at Bloomsburg) saw us (Bloomsburg) win both the field hockey and softball championships in the same year. It was incredible and certainly was the spring board to our success and our ability to recruit outstanding student-athletes to Bloomsburg throughout the years."

"I am extremely proud that every class of athletes I have recruited in both sports, (starting with the class of '79 ) has played in the national tournament at least once and most have competed two or more times," continued Hutchinson. "I am also proud of the phenomenal success our women athletes have had after graduation and the outstanding careers and lives they have built."

Bloomsburg athletic director Mary Gardner will miss working with her longtime colleague.

"Jan has been the 'cornerstone' of the Bloomsburg athletic program throughout her tenure," said Gardner. "She has been an outstanding role model who athletes and coaches have emulated throughout the years. She has established a winning tradition in both field hockey and softball that will go down in Bloomsburg history. Throughout the years it has been my good fortune to work with Jan as a colleague and friend. I will always be appreciative of that relationship."

Hutchinson's field hockey squads have posted winning records in 30 of her 31 seasons and have amassed an overall record of 583-75-20, for a winning percentage of .874. She is the winningest coach in any division of NCAA field hockey and is the only collegiate coach with over 500 victories.

Under Hutchinson, the Huskies have enjoyed many outstanding seasons and have won 16 or more games on 25 occasions. Her teams won national championships in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and most recently in 2008. Her string of four straight titles (1996-99) was the first time in the history of NCAA field hockey that the feat was accomplished. Her teams have also registered nine national runner-up finishes.

In addition, the Huskies captured Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championships in 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008 and have garnered eight runner-up showings.

Hutchinson has been chosen as the national Division II Coach of the Year six times in her career: 1991, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Her 2006 team went undefeated and untied on its way to the NCAA Division II championship, the fourth time in school history for that to happen.

Her 2008 team set numerous school, conference and NCAA Division II marks, including a record for goals scored in a season with 161, shattering the mark of 132 set by the Huskies in 2007. She also coached Jamie Vanartsdalen, the NCAA all-time record holder for goals and points in a season and career.

Six athletes on the 2008 team achieved NFHCA All-American honors, bringing the total under Hutchinson to 52 performers who have combined to win 101 All-American awards. Under Hutchinson's leadership, 10 Bloomsburg players, including Vanartsdalen in 2007 and 2008, have also been named national "Player of the Year", the most of any coach in Division II.

As the Huskies softball coach Hutchinson is the most successful coach ever in Division II softball history. During her career as coach of the Huskies, Hutchinson has posted a record of 1,165-280-2 (.805) and has made an NCAA record 27 consecutive trips to the NCAA championship tournament (30 including AIAW and NCAA Division III). She has the most wins of any NCAA Division II coach in history and is sixth on the all-time win list regardless of division. She is also second in winning percentage on the NCAA Division II list and seventh overall in winning percentage regardless of division.

Bloomsburg has been to the championship round nine times, twice finishing as the national runner-up with losses each time in extra innings in the national title game. She also has five third-place showings and two fourth-place finishes. The Huskies also won the 1982 AIAW national championship.

In softball, Bloomsburg holds 16 NCAA Division II individual, team or championship records. In only her fourth season, Hutchinson won the national championship "double" in the 1981-82 school year, claiming the field hockey title in the fall and the softball championship that spring.

Bloomsburg has dominated PSAC competition winning 14 softball championships. In addition, her players have enjoyed recognition in softball with 32 players earning 53 All-American awards.

Not only has Hutchinson been a successful coach and mentor to field hockey and softball players, she and her staff have been successful fundraisers, as well. In the past 32 years, they have raised more than $2 million for scholarships through summer sports camps and other fundraising efforts to make both programs self-supporting. Hutchinson's achievements in coaching have not gone unnoticed by her peers. She has been honored with induction into both the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Halls of Fame. In addition, Hutchinson was named the winner of the C. Vivian Stringer Award by the United States Sports Academy in the summer of 2006.

Hutchinson's coaching talents have not only helped those as student-athletes, but several of her former players have gone on to coach at the intercollegiate level. At Bloomsburg former All-American performer Susan Kocher serves as her assistant coach in softball.

Others have gone on to coaching jobs elsewhere, such as Janelle Breneman (assistant softball coach at the University of North Carolina and former head coach at East Stroudsburg and Bucknell), Marcie Hickey (head softball coach at University of North Florida and formerly at the University of Vermont), Leah Conte (former assistant field hockey and lacrosse coach at Mary Washington College), Kathy Frick (former head coach at Goucher College, UMass-Lowell, and Lafayette University lacrosse), Nicki (Hartranft) Rhoades (head field hockey coach at Alevrnia) and Jen Probst (head softball coach at Misericordia University).

Two former softball players have also played professionally. Janelle Breneman was a member of the Georgia Pride and Marty Laudato was a member of the Tampa Bay Fire Stix. In 1999 Laudato was named WPSL Hitter of the Year.

A 1971 graduate of East Stroudsburg University, Hutchinson also earned a master's degree in education from the school in 1979. Prior to Bloomsburg, she initiated the women's physical education program at Blair Academy and served as head coach for field hockey, basketball and softball. She has also been inducted into the Newton High School and Sussex County (NJ) Halls of Fame. In the year 2000, the Bloomsburg softball field was named in her honor.

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