CHICAGO, IL – National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Vice President for Awards and Hall of Fame chair Pat Conlan announced the 2019 NFCA Hall of Fame induction class at the conclusion of the Hall of Fame Banquet on Dec. 7 during the NFCA National Convention held at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.
Legendary Cypress College softball coach Brad Pickler was announced as a member of the 2019 class, joining Dee Abrahamson, former head coach and senior woman administrator at Northern Illinois, and late Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.) head coach Anthony LaRezza. The Association's 29th Hall of Fame Class will be inducted on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019 in Atlantic City, N.J.
Pickler just completed his 31st season at the helm of the Chargers' softball program. He has compiled over 1,300 career wins and has led Cypress to a record nine CCCAA State Championships.
Pickler has also led the Chargers to 27 state finals appearances and helped Cypress earn 23 Orange Empire Conference titles. His legacy includes directing the Chargers to a record three consecutive state crowns from 1997-1999 with a combined 177-17 mark. In 2017, Pickler's squad completed the first ever undefeated State Championship run in CCCAA softball history, finishing the season 48-0.
Pickler arrived at Cypress in 1987 and has turned the Chargers into one of the most successful junior college programs in the United States. He took over a once depleted program and managed to turn it around overnight, earning himself 17 Conference Coach of the Year awards in his 31 seasons as head coach. Coach Pickler has been featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd section after guiding the Chargers to a once 66-5 record during the 1997 State Championship run.
In addition to his nine state championships, the Chargers have placed second (1993 and 2004), third (1992, 1995, 2007, 2018), and fourth (1989, 1994, 2002, and 2008) during his tenure. He was inducted into the Savanna High School Hall of Fame in 2016, followed by the Cypress College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.
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