Terri Adams: in just a few short years Coach Adams has taken this program to new heights and this year she had the Hawks in the mix once again. The Hawks have been hurt by bad weather, but if not for that they might be on top of the conference. She has really turned around this program and you can really see it in the mentality of her teams. St. Joseph's does not have all of the resources that other teams do, but their fight and will to succeed is unmatched. Under her guidance, the Hawks have started playing with some real swagger and they do not back down from anyone.
Aimee DeVos: I must say I was a little skeptical of Charlotte coming into this season, but as I have learned you can never count out Charlotte. Coach DeVos has instilled a mental toughness in her squad which has carried through in long extra inning battles and brutal playing conditions. Her squad has a never say die attitude and they find a way win when their backs are against the wall. She didn't have Emily Jeffery's lights out pitching this year, but the 49ers found a way to win. If there is one thing you can say about this squad they play fundamental softball and they come ready to play each time out.
Joe DiPietro: This year has been a long time coming for Coach DiPietro, after so many years of finishing just short of advancing to the conference tournament, both at La Salle and Temple he has finally broken through this year. Ever since its first game of the year, which saw Temple fall just short against Missouri, this team has believed. The Owls played a tough non conference schedule and that really prepared this squad for A10 play. Coach DiPietro has gotten his squad to swing the bats this year and they have been a force at the plate. Temple is just going out and taking care of business making their coach a very happy man. This year all the stars have aligned for Coach DiPietro and he may even get a Coach of the Year award out of it.
Cara LaPlaca: Dayton has been in a postseason drought for a long time and this year things finally seemed to go right for the Flyers. This squad has benefited from a solid freshman class and some outstanding power hitting. Coach LaPlaca stepped up the schedule for her team and seeing good pitching early seems to be paying off for her team. She has her team right in the hunt headed into the final week and that is a big step in the right direction. She is really laying a solid foundation for the program moving forward. If Coach LaPlaca makes it down to Charlotte she may come back with this award.
Bridget Orchard: I was not sold on Coach Orchard as a candidate for this award until this weekend, which saw Fordham go to UMass and they pulled off the first ever sweep of UMass at the UMass Softball Complex. This weekend Fordham finally played up to its potential and they looked like the team that earned an at-large bid last year. This team has underachieved for most of this 2011 season, but Coach Orchard has this squad rounding into form at the right time. Fordham will now head into the Atlantic 10 tournament as the top seed and the favorite for the at-large bid.
Elaine Sortino: after losing seven seniors to graduation and last year Co-Player of the Year, Coach Sortino has her squad right in the mix once again. UMass played an extremely difficult schedule in non conference play, which contributed to an 8 game losing streak. She found a way to get her team through that rough stretch and they have really raised their game to another level in April. Some may question whether she should win another Coach of the Year award, but this may be the best coaching job of her career.
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