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Bridgewater softball coach to retire in 2014

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bridgewater logoAfter a career spanning three different decades and nearly 600 wins, Bridgewater College softball coach Donnie Fulk has announced that he will step down from the head coaching position and enter retirement following the conclusion of the 2014 season.

“Donnie’s contributions to the softball program and the College in general are significant and his presence will be missed,” said Director of Athletics Curt Kendall. “During his tenure, the softball program has reached the national tournament multiple times and become a regional power. His efforts on a variety of fronts have aided not only the softball program, but also the athletic department as a whole. Finding a replacement for Donnie will be an enormous task.”

Fulk has been at the head of the Bridgewater softball program since 1992 and has seen the Eagles go from a fledgling program to one of the most respected programs in the region.

The College has announced that the search for Fulk’s successor will begin in early 2014.

“Leaving the softball program will be one of the hardest things I’ll have to do in my coaching career, but having the opportunity to coach the sport I love and work with outstanding student-athletes over the last 23 years is something I’ll always cherish. It’s been a great honor to see the College develop and to work with some fantastic individuals.”

Entering his 23rd season as head coach at Bridgewater College, Fulk has compiled a record of 578 wins against 299 losses. Under his direction, the Eagles won Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) regular season titles in 1994, 2006 and 2007. Fulk was named the ODAC Coach of the Year in 1996 and 2006 and VaSID State Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

Fulk spearheaded the completion of a number of renovations to  the BC Softball Complex, including the recent addition of state-of-the-art dugouts, new fencing and the installation of a warning track. Aside from the on-the-field renovations, the Complex also saw the addition of a new press box in 2009.

Two seasons ago, the Eagles finished with a 33-12 overall record and earned a berth in the championship round of the ODAC tournament. Fulk’s Eagles opened the season by winning 26 of their first 30 games, including victories over a pair of top-10 teams in Cortland State and Coast Guard.

The 2000 team finished with a 32-10 record and received the program’s first-ever national ranking, reaching as high as No. 19 in the Division III poll. In 2006, the Eagles finished with a 34-9 record and were ranked in the South Region poll for much of the season. The 2006 team finished the year with a .386 batting average to rank No. 1 in the nation in the final Division III statistical rankings.

In 2007, the program reached new heights with a program-record 40 victories against just eight losses. The Eagles placed first in the ODAC regular season standings with a 17-1 record and advanced to the conference tournament championship game. The team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III tournament, the program’s first-ever bid to the national playoffs. The Eagles advanced to the round of 16, losing in the regional title game to DePauw. Bridgewater was ranked No. 19 in the final 2007 NFCA Division III poll. The Eagles also won another statistical title, leading Division III in runs scored with 8.48 runs per game.

In 2009, the Eagles finished with a solid 36-11 mark and earned an NCAA Division III playoff berth. BC defeated the ODAC champions Lynchburg to go to the NCAA tournament before falling 2-1 to Salisbury in the Sweet 16. Fulk led the Eagles towards numerous individual postseason awards.

In addition to coaching softball, Fulk is also the director of the Bridgewater College Eagle Club. Fulk also was the first head coach in Bridgewater College men’s soccer history, starting the program in 1991 and spending five years at the helm prior to becoming an assistant on the women’s staff.

Fulk resides in Bridgewater with his wife Jane. They have two married daughters, Mandi and Misti, both Bridgewater College graduates. Fulk also has a granddaughter, Jana, and two grandsons, Hayden and Cole.

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