LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wallace State Community College-Hanceville (South) was voted by its peers as the 2022 NFCA NJCAA DI National Coaching Staff of the Year, the Association announced on Monday afternoon.

Head coach A.J. Daugherty, along with assistant coaches Cadi Oliver and Carson Owens, steered the Lions to a top-eight finish at the NJCAA DI Softball Championship and a final record of 56-4. As the No. 3 overall seed, Wallace State advanced the quarterfinals and posted a 2-2 record at the tournament with victories over No. 6 Butler Community College and No. 13 Lake Land College. The Lions, who were No. 1 nationally for four weeks, captured their second straight Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) tournament title, outscoring their opposition 30-1. 

Daugherty, the ACCC Coach of the Year, finished his sixth season at the helm and has compiled a 260-58 record. He has guided the Lions to four conference titles and berths to the national tournament. In 2022, the Lion offense outscored its opponents by 391 runs due in part to a stingy pitching staff. Lions’ hurlers registered an NJCAA DI-best 1.12 ERA and 26 shutouts. They held opponents to a .191 (2^nd) batting average,  struck out 8.33 batters per seven innings and surrendered just nine home runs over 374 innings of work.

Wallace State, a representative of the NFCA’s South Region, was joined by Seminole State College (Okla.) (Midwest) and Yavapai College (West) as NJCAA DI Regional Coaching Staff of the Year recipients. Winners are voted on by NJCAA DI member head coaches. Daugherty and his staff will be honored at the NFCA Awards Brunch, Dec. 10 at the 2022 NFCA Convention in San Antonio.

The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaching awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention. 

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