• 1997, 1998 NFCA National Coach of the Year
• 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 NFCA Regional Coach of the Year
• 11-Time PSAC West Coach of the Year (1995-2001, 2004, 2009-11)
Entering his 19th season at California University of Pennsylvania, Rick Bertagnolli has guided the Cal U softball program into a perennial national contender and placed himself among the elite softball coaches in the country.
The Vulcans have reached the NCAA Tournament 16 times with back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 1997 and 1998.
Currently in his 28th season as a head coach, Bertagnolli has a career collegiate coaching record of 896-261 (.774) and holds an overall mark of 634-211 (.750) with the Vulcans. He enters the year tied for sixth among active coaches in NCAA Division II in winning percentage and is the winningest coach in all of Cal U sports history.
Bertagnolli’s Vulcan teams have appeared in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship Game 12 times and set a NCAA record with 88-consecutive conference wins from 1994-99.
Numerous Vulcan players have garnered national, regional and conference recognition under Bertagnolli’s direction. He has coached 28 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans, 70 NFCA all-region honorees and over 100 all-conference players.
In 1998, Bertagnolli helped tutor two-time All-American Danielle Penner, who was named the National Player of the Year by the NFCA. He has also coached three players who played on the Canadian Senior National Team: Meaggan Wilton (2000 Sydney Olympics), Megan Timpf (2008 Beijing Olympics) and Jillian Russell (2010 ISF World Championships, 2011 Pan American Games).
The Cal U softball success under Bertagnolli has also been evident in the classroom, as he has mentored seven Academic All-Americans, including three in 2010.
Bertagnolli’s career at Cal U began in 1994 and in his first season the Vulcans recorded a 38-13 record, advanced to the PSAC Championship Game and captured the regional championship.
After a combined 93 wins the next two seasons, the stage was set for a historic 1997 season. With Penner dominating opponents in the circle, the Vulcans rolled to a program-best 53-5 record to capture the first national championship in any sport in school history.
In 1998, Cal U became only the fourth (and last) school in NCAA Division II softball history to win back-to-back National Championships. The Vulcans registered a 47-7 overall record behind the play of five different All-Americans, including Penner, who was named NFCA Player of the Year after finishing her career with an NCAA record 141 career victories. Bertagnolli and his staff were named NFCA Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year.
Since the two National Championships, Cal U has maintained a tradition of excellence by qualifying for the NCAA Tournament 11 times in 13 seasons. The Vulcans also won 14 PSAC West Championships (1994-2004, 2009-11) and qualified for 18-consecutive PSAC Tournaments (1994-2011) under Bertagnolli.
Bertagnolli registered his 800th career win as a college coach in 2009, and he earned his 600th victory at Cal U while leading the team to the NCAA Super Regionals in 2010.
Bertagnolli started his college coaching career at Wabash Valley Junior College for three seasons before serving as head coach at South Carolina-Spartanburg for two seasons.
Bertagnolli and his wife Jodi have two daughters Ava and Mia.
|
Year |
Overall
Record |
Win Pct. |
PSAC West
Record |
Win Pct. |
Post-Season |
|
1994 |
38-13 |
.745 |
9-1 |
.900 |
NCAA Regional Champions |
|
1995 |
48-7 |
.873 |
20-0 |
1.000 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
1996 |
45-5 |
.900 |
20-0 |
1.000 |
PSAC Champions
NCAA Regional Champions |
|
1997 |
53-5 |
.914 |
20-0 |
1.000 |
PSAC Champions
NCAA Regional Champions
** NCAA National Champions ** |
|
1998 |
47-7 |
.870 |
20-0 |
1.000 |
PSAC Champions
NCAA Regional Champions
** NCAA National Champions ** |
|
1999 |
39-18 |
.679 |
17-3 |
.850 |
PSAC Champions
NCAA Regional Champions |
|
2000 |
44-15 |
.746 |
16-4 |
.800 |
PSAC Champions
NCAA Tournament |
|
2001 |
33-9 |
.786 |
19-1 |
.950 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
2002 |
34-7 |
.829 |
19-1 |
.950 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
2003 |
28-8 |
.778 |
17-3 |
.850 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
2004 |
31-11 |
.738 |
17-3 |
.850 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
2005 |
24-16 |
.600 |
13-7 |
.650 |
|
|
2006 |
26-17 |
.605 |
13-7 |
.650 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
2007 |
15-17 |
.469 |
11-8 |
.579 |
|
|
2008 |
28-18 |
.609 |
12-8 |
.600 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
2009 |
35-10 |
.778 |
13-1 |
.929 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
2010 |
37-14 |
.725 |
15-1 |
.938 |
NCAA Regional Champions
NCAA Super Regional |
|
2011 |
29-14 |
.674 |
12-2 |
.857 |
NCAA Tournament |
|
TOTALS |
634-211 |
.750 |
283-50 |
.850 |
|
