CHESTER, Pa. – Widener University softball head coach Fred Dohrmann, the winningest head coach in Widener softball history and one of the most influential people in the history of Widener Athletics, has retired as head coach of the program.
 
Dohrmann recently concluded his 42nd season on staff and 41st as head coach of the softball program. Dohrmann will remain as the physical education director and an adjunct instructor at Widener.
 
As the head coach for softball, Dohrmann amassed a 697-566 record, with his 697 wins being the most victories by one coach in one sport in school history. Dohrmann's 697 wins also rank 22^nd all-time in NCAA Division III history.
 
"My 42 years at Widener have flown by and have been amazing," Dohrmann said. "Considering I was hired as the men's soccer head coach in 1981 and fell into the position as the softball coach, it's been a true adventure! We have been quite successful, but the relationships that have been made with coaches and players will last a lifetime and far outweigh the wins and losses."
 
On the softball field, Dohrmann guided the Pride to 16, 20-win seasons (1995, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022).
 
The 2017 campaign will remain in the memory of Widener softball for years to come. The Pride went 28-13 and won its first MAC Commonwealth Championship, sweeping through the tournament after beating Lebanon Valley in the first round, topping seventh-ranked Messiah in the semifinals, and defeating Lebanon Valley again in the championship game via a 4-3 count. The conference championship win over Lebanon Valley secured Widener's first trip to the NCAA Tournament, where the Blue and Gold won a pair of games against SUNY-Cortland and Messiah. Five players were named All-Conference including First-Team selections Katie Sterling and Ally Horvath with the latter also garnering All-East Region Third-Team accolades. Widener also excelled in the classroom with six student-athletes registering a 3.5 GPA or higher to earn National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete status.
 
"I want to first congratulate Fred on his tremendous career as the Widener softball coach," Widener Director of Athletics Jack Shafer said. "Fred has been such a quality mentor for so many student-athletes over the past 42 years - not to mention one of the most important ambassadors for Widener Athletics. Words can't correctly describe the impact and influence Fred Dohrmann has had across our athletic department, the university, the Middle Atlantic Conference and to so many students and families. His effect as a person, as a leader, and as an educator for areas much more than softball, are well known on and off the Widener campus and among perhaps thousands of students he has taught and coached throughout his 42 years. In my time, I can say that Fred has never been off the clock, is always up for the challenge and driven in a way that results can only be measured in the positive effect he has had on those he has come into contact with. The Widener University Athletic Department has been proud to work with Fred Dohrmann."
 
The spring of 2016 was also one of the most memorable for Dohrmann and the Widener softball team. The program won a school record 31 games, advanced to the MAC Commonwealth championship contest (falling to national runner-up Messiah), and more importantly registered a 3.47 team GPA during the spring semester. In addition, the team produced the Class of 2016 valedictorian and a CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team selection in Alie Alkins, as well as a program record four players who made the NFCA All-East Region squad and a league best three student-athletes who were named to the Academic All-MAC Team.
 
Along the way, he notched many milestone wins.
 
On April 23, 2014, during a doubleheader against Neumann, Dohrmann first recorded his 537th win to pass former men's basketball coach C. Alan Rowe for most victories in school history for one sport in the opener before coaching his 1,000th game in the nightcap. On March 23, 2017, Dohrmann won the 600^th game of his career during a doubleheader sweep of Cabrini. In 2019, Dohrmann and the Pride notched a victory against Trine, who advanced to the NCAA Division III Softball National Championship and ended the season ranked fourth in the NFCA D3 poll.
 
Dohrmann's teams have been especially strong over the past 15 seasons, which began with the 2008 squad sharing the Commonwealth Conference regular season title and winning what was a school record 30 games at the time. The 2009 squad followed up by notching 24 victories and advancing to the conference tournament finals for the first time in the program's history, and the 2010 team won 27 games and qualified for the conference tournament. The Pride also put together four consecutive 20-win seasons from 2014-17, tying the longest stretch in program history.
 
Dohrmann has also produced numerous all-conference athletes, including the conference Player of the Year in 1992, 1998, 2000, and 2008. Mallory Meyer, his most recent honoree, was also named the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Softball Student-Athlete of the Year. In addition, Dohrmann mentored a Second Team All-American in 2000 and 2001, and another student-athlete won the NCAA Division III slugging percentage title in 1992.
 
The success of the program has gone beyond the playing field. Dohrmann put together a team in 2013 that had a 3.433 GPA, which was the 24^th best among reporting Division III schools on the NFCA All-Academic Team. That squad also had nine players named All-America Scholar-Athletes. The 2006 team had a 3.248 GPA and was 37th in the country. The 2007 team ended 49th and had seven tabbed NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes. In 2008, Widener saw seven of its athletes receive the honor before the 2009 and 2010 groups each had nine earn the recognition.
 
Since 2008, the softball team has also hosted an annual "Strike Out Cancer Night," an event which raises funds for a member of the Widener family that is battling colon cancer.
 
Dohrmann's service to the athletics department goes beyond softball. Dohrmann has been the physical education director at Widener since 1985, teaching and mentoring thousands of students while doubling the number of physical education class offerings at the university.
 
This year, Dohrmann received the university's William David Eckard Jr. Award for Distinguished Service for his above and beyond commitment and outstanding service to the Widener community. Dohrmann felt he couldn't have been a great coach, mentor and teacher without the amazing relationships he formed with students, student-athletes, coaches and the employees at Widener throughout his time.
 
"They make Widener University the awesome place that it is," Dohrmann said. "My contribution over the years to the well-being of all has been one of the greatest joys of my career."
 
Before his tremendous career as a softball coach, Dohrmann started his coaching career as the assistant men's soccer and wrestling coach. Dohrmann then took over as head men's soccer coach for 23 seasons between 1981 and 2003. He is still Widener's all-time leader in wins for men's soccer with 164.
 
A Philadelphia native, Dohrmann earned a bachelor's degree in health, physical education and recreation from the University of Pittsburgh in 1978, and attained a master's in physical education from West Chester University in 1986. He is professionally affiliated with the NFCA and American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
 
"I have given my entire career to softball and been the coach of close to 95 percent of all the softball ever played at Widener," Dohrmann said. "It has been quite an honor and certainly a privilege to be the head coach. I am extremely proud of our accomplishments on and off the field. I would like to thank my wife, June, for encouraging me along the way. She and my two children, Andrea and Michael, have been there for the important moments. I'd also like to thank my assistant coaches for supporting me throughout the years. To the players who have grown, matured and contributed everything to the culture and success of Widener softball and men's soccer, many thanks. Lastly thank you to my coworkers, whose company I will always like to keep, and the AD's and administrators that have supported me fully, with a special thanks to Jack Shafer, Associate Athletics Director Larissa Gillespie and Assistant Athletics Director Chris Carideo."