Judson News
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - [Softball]

ELGIN, Ill. - Heading into the 2009-10 athletic year, Becky Stenning will be continuing to make her presence known in softball. Entering her sixth season, Stenning is the all-time winningest coach for the Judson softball program.

The 2009 season brought one of the best seasons, ever, as her team won a program best 25 games to better the 24 games won in the 2008 season. She surpassed Rick Eddy's 82 wins on March 24th with a double header win over Trinity Christian College for her 83rd career win. Judson's last win of the 2009 season, which was Stenning's 97th career win, came against Olivet Nazarene University in the semi-finals of the CCAC Tournament, 5-3. It was the second time that season, and for the Judson program, that Judson had defeated the NAIA powerhouse Olivet Nazarene.
 
"What Becky has done for Judson softball has been amazing," quotes Director of Athletics Nancy Binger. "She has created a solid, repectable program in her five years. I have no doubt that she will stack up more and more coaching wins over the years."
 

Stenning came to Judson in 2004 to take over a program that had never been consistent in winning had only two 20-win seasons in 28 seasons. She came with a profile of winning after being a part of a strong Illinois Wesleyan softball program as a player and assistant coach. As a player, the four-year letterman helped her team to two NCAA Division III appearances. Then, as an assistant coach, Illinois Wesleyan made two more appearances (2002, 2003) and finished third in the nation in 2003 at the NCAA National Tournament. That coaching staff also won the CCIW Tournament, twice, too.

With taking over the Judson University softball program, Stenning had high expectations. In each of her first five seasons, she improved the program and has pushed the program into the top tier of the CCAC. She won 16 games in her first season of 2005 and 14 games in 2006. The next three seasons she improved the win total with 18 in 2007, 24 in 2008, and 25 in 2009.

Her teams have re-written the Judson record books each season as the offensive and pitching improve each season. She currently has four players that hold the six single season records for Judson in Nicole Dimiceli (hits - 71; RBI - 47; doubles - 20), Lizzy Jacobson (RBI - 47; walks - 21), Carrie Sensor (runs scored - 54; at-bats - 171), and Virginia McAndrews (strikeouts - 122). She also one former player that holds the home run record in Debra Leganski (14). In pitching, nine of the top 17 in strikeouts in a season come from Stenning's players.

When it comes to career records for Stenning players, she has players in all of the 10 categories. The top categories are home runs and runs scored where nine of the 17 positions are filled by players from her coaching era. Current player and senior to be Lizzy Jacobson is the top record holder for RBI (97), home runs (19), and walks (49).

In 2007, she became the first Judson softball coach to take her team to a national tournament as they qualified for the NCCAA (National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association) National Tournament. The 2008 season brought a repeat selection for the tournament as her team finished a program best third place. In the CCAC, Judson has continued to improve their play in the last two seasons with back-to-back winning records. In 2008, Judson won 10 CCAC games and then took a program best 11 CCAC wins in 2009.

The first five years of her coaching career have also brought many awards for players. She has produced 11 all-CCAC players and the past two seasons has had a CCAC freshman of the year. In 2008, Nicole Dimiceli was the freshman player of the year and in 2009 Virginia McAndrews was the freshman pitcher of the year. She has had 13 NCCAA all-Region players, six NCCAA all-Americans, and four NCCAA all-Tournament players. In the final year of having NAIA all-Region players (2008), Judson had their first-ever all-Region selection in Dimiceli.

Academics are also another strong point for her teams as three teams have been NFCA All-Academic teams. She has had seven NCCAA scholar-athletes and five NAIA scholar-athletes in five years, too.

With five years under her coaching belt, now, and a career full of winning, Stenning only has higher goals and hopes for the Judson University softball program.