Elaine Sortino

Elaine Sortino
Biographical details
Born(1949-10-28)October 28, 1949
Yonkers, New York
DiedAugust 18, 2013(2013-08-18) (aged 63)
Hadley, Massachusetts
Alma materSUNY Oneonta
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1971–1973Yale (asst.)
1980–2013UMass
Head coaching record
Overall1185–508–6 (.699)
Tournaments32–43 (.427)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
  • 23x A-10 regular season (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991–2004, 2006–2010, 2012)
  • 23x A-10 tournament (1986, 1987, 1989–1993, 1995–2003, 2005–2010, 2012)
Awards
Records
  • Most Atlantic 10 wins by a coach in league history (372)
  • Most Wins by a coach at UMass (1,185)

Elaine Sortino (October 28, 1949 – August 18, 2013) was a college softball coach. She was the head coach at UMass from 1980 to 2013. With 1,185 wins in 34 years as a head coach, Sortino ranks among the highest in NCAA Division I softball coaching victories.[1]

Early years

Sortino was a native of Yonkers, New York, and a 1971 graduate of State University of New York at Oneonta, and earned her master's degree from the University of Bridgeport in 1973. While attending Bridgeport, Sortino served as an assistant coach for Yale University's softball team from 1971 until 1973.[2] She was inducted into the Oneonta State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.[3][4]

UMass

Sortino was the head softball coach at UMass from 1980 to 2013. The UMass Softball Complex was renamed Sortino Field in 2012.[5] She also coached women's volleyball from 1979-1986 posting a 218-134-1 record during her tenure.[6] She served as Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at the University.[7]

Softball Coaching records and Halls of Fame

Sortino was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2004. She led the Minutewomen to 23 Atlantic 10 titles, 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, and 3 trips to the Women's College World Series. Sortino coached a Honda Award winner, an Olympic Gold Medalist, 21 All-Americans, 15 A-10 Players of the Year, 18 A-10 Pitchers of the Year, 9 A-10 Rookies of the Year, and 133 all-conference team members. In her career, UMass posted 21 30-win seasons, seven 40-win campaign and one 50-win season.[8][9]

Later years and death

Sortino was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, and died of the disease August 18, 2013.[10][11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Longtime UMass softball coach Elaine Sortino dies". USA TODAY.
  2. ^ "Elaine Sortino (1999) - Hall of Fame".
  3. ^ Cassavaugh, Daniel J. CassavaughDaniel J. (August 20, 2013). "SUNY Oneonta Community Remembers Elaine Sortino". CNY News.
  4. ^ "Elaine Sortino (1999) - Hall of Fame". SUNY Oneonta Athletics.
  5. ^ Hewitt, Stephen. "UMass Softball Complex to be renamed after longtime coach Elaine Sortino".
  6. ^ "AMHERST — Longtime University of Massachusetts softball coach Elaine Sortino, 64, died Sunday after an almost two-year battle with cancer.UMass". www.gazettenet.com.
  7. ^ "Statement on Passing of UMass Softball Coach Elaine Sortino". August 18, 2013.
  8. ^ Reynolds, William (August 19, 2013). "NFCA | National Fastpitch Coaches Association". nfca.org.
  9. ^ "Elaine Sortino (2015) - Hall of Fame". ecacsports.com.
  10. ^ "In Memory of ELAINE J. SORTINO".
  11. ^ Canelas, Nick. "Legendary UMass softball coach Elaine Sortino dies after battle with cancer".