Tag: NFCA Hall of Fame

Florida softball HC Tim Walton inducted into NFCA Hall of Fame

Florida’s softball program has developed in a national powerhouse over the past two decades under Tim Walton, who will be inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame Friday night.

Florida softball head coach [autotag]Tim Walton[/autotag] will be inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame in Dallas, Texas on Friday night.

Walton holds a 980-238 (.805) record in 19 seasons with the Gators and a 1,103-302 record as a head coach — he spent three years with Wichita State before taking over at Florida in 2006. Walton has transformed UF’s softball program into a national powerhouse entering his 20th year.

The Gators have made the NCAA Tournament every year under Walton, excluding the 2020 season when the tournament was canceled. Florida has made it to the Women’s College World Series 12 times, reached the finals five times and claimed back-to-back national championships in 2014 and 2015.

Walton has led the program to eight SEC regular season titles, six SEC Tournament titles and won five SEC Coach of the Year Awards. Walton’s athletes have earned 53 NFCA All-America honors and 79 All-SEC nods.
He is also an assistant coach with the USA Women’s National Team.

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Legendary UF softball coach named to 2024 NFCA Hall of Fame class

One of the best to ever coach college softball is in line to get his due recognition.

Florida softball head coach [autotag]Tim Walton[/autotag] was named as a member of the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Hall of Fame class last week at the NFCA convention held in Louisville, Kentucky.

Walton is one of the most decorated coaches in NCAA Division I history, having spent 19 of his 22 years as a head coach with the Gators. For his career, he has put together a 1,049-287 record — good for a .785 winning percentage, ranking third among active NCAA head coaches with a minimum of 10 years of experience as head coach.

In 2022, the veteran coach eclipsed the 1,000-career win mark, making him the second-fastest NCAA Division I head coach to reach the milestone behind the legendary Arizona Wildcats coach Mike Candrea. Overall, there are just 11 currently-active DI head coaches with 1,000 career wins and only 30 coaches all-time have achieved the feat.

During his time in Gainesville, he led the Gators to back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2014 and 2015, eight Southeastern Conference regular season championships, five SEC Tournament titles, 11 trips to the Women’s College World Series and five WCWS Championship series appearances.

Additionally, he also coaches three Collegiate Women Sports Award winners, two USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year recipients, an NFCA Division I Player of the Year winner, one NFCA Freshman of the Year recipient, five SEC Pitchers of the Year and five SEC Players of the Year.

The induction ceremony will take place at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in Dallas, Texas on December 6, 2024.

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