Sport(s) Softball Career start 1985 Role Coach Titles Head coach | 1994-1995 Raybestos Brakettes Name Michelle Gardner 1985–1988 Michigan 2003–2008 Nevada Career end 1995 | |
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Iu softball head coach michelle gardner talks about signing class
Michelle "Mikey" Gardner, formerly Michelle Bolster, is an American softball coach and former player. She has been the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers softball team since 2009. She previously served as the head coach at the University of Nevada from 2003 to 2008. She also served as an assistant softball coach at Arizona State (1999–2001) and Florida State (1995–1998).
Contents
- Iu softball head coach michelle gardner talks about signing class
- Indiana softball coach michelle gardner in studio
- Early years
- University of Michigan
- Professional softball
- Coaching career
- Personal
- References
Gardner was a right-handed pitcher for the Michigan Wolverines softball team from 1985 to 1988 and for the Raybestos Brakettes from 1994 to 1995. She was named the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year in 1988.
Indiana softball coach michelle gardner in studio
Early years
A native of Petersburg, Michigan, Gardner grew up in Monroe County, Michigan. She was an all-state softball player at Summerfield High School. She led Summerfield to a 26–1 record and a state championship in 1984.
University of Michigan
Bolster played college softball for the Michigan Wolverines softball team from 1985 to 1988. She had two no-hitters during her Michigan career, one on May 3, 1985, and the other on May 4, 1988. During the 1988 season, she was Michigan's co-captain. That year, she compiled a 0.94 earned run average against Big Ten Conference opponents and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and Michigan's Most Valuable Player; she was also named to the NFCA All-Mideast Region team in 1988.
Professional softball
Bolster later played professional softball for the Raybestos Brakettes from 1994 to 1995. The Brakettes dominated the sport, winning 34 national championship games from 1958 to 1993 in the Women's World Softball Tournaments. In a 2000 profile on the Brakettes, The New York Times wrote that pitchers Joan Joyce, Bolster and others "made the team virtually unbeatable."
Coaching career
Gardner has been the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers softball team since 2009. In five season as the head coach at Indiana, she has compiled a record of 108–153 (.414).
Gardner previously served as the head coach at the University of Nevada from 2003 to 2008. She compiled a 187–176 record (.515)at Nevada. After leading Nevada to a 44–18 record in 2008, she was named the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
She also served as an assistant softball coach at Arizona State (1999–2001) and Florida State (1995–1998).
Personal
Garner is married to William Gardner. They have one son and two daughters.