NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Iowa Wesleyan College's head softball coach Mike Hampton picked up his 1,200th career coaching win over the weekend at the Grinnell College Invitational. The Tigers helped Hampton reach the milestone in convincing fashion, defeating the host Pioneers 21-1.
The Tigers later picked up win number 1,201 for Hampton, once again against Grinnell in the tournament’s consolation game. The Tigers dominated the Pioneers for the second time in as many days, defeating the Pioneers 9-1.
Hampton, who is in his 20th season as the Tigers’ head softball coach, currently owns a 536-486-1 record during his time with the Tigers. He has coached softball at the high school and collegiate ranks for an impressive 48 years.
“I have been fortunate to have a lot of great young ladies that have contributed to those 1200 wins,” said Hampton. “The opportunities of being able to coach them, see them mature into young professional young ladies and to become young mothers has been a tremendous honor.”
Coach Hampton also credits his family for his storied coaching career. “I have to thank my wife, Anita, who has been a wife of a coach for almost 43 years and to my children, Lance, Michal, and Beau who all had to give up a lot through softball seasons. They have been great supporters of mine. I truly believe that family is very important in order to be successful and I have been blessed with a great loving and understanding wife, children, spouses of our children and now 4 grandsons.”
The Tigers have won the regular season conference title three times during Hampton’s time at the helm and won the conference tournament three times as well. In 2011, the Tigers earned a bid to the National Tournament under Hampton’s guidance.