From left: Assistant Coach Jerry Grasso, Assistant Coach Tom Freeland, Head Coach Mike Shehorn, Assistant Coach James Brittingham
While their team again set a single-season record for victories, Wilmington University softball coach Mike Shehorn and his staff garnered a couple of honors of their own last year.
In June, Shehorn and his assistants — James Brittingham, Tom Freeland, and Jerry Grasso — were named the 2024 ATEC/NFCA East Region Coaching Staff of the Year. It marked the second year in a row that the Wildcat staff received this honor.
In October, Shehorn was invited to speak at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association annual convention in Dallas. On the last day of the convention, Dec. 7, he delivered a 50-minute presentation on Infield defense, focusing on each position and the fundamentals that can help any player make plays more efficiently. Other speakers in Dallas came from many of the powers in Division I softball, including Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma State, and Tennessee.
Shehorn, who completed his 11th season as the Wildcat mentor in 2024, has brought the program to new heights. He led the team to a 46-16 overall record last season and has raised his overall coaching record to 353-197 — a winning percentage of .642. The Wildcats have set new single-season win records in each of the past two years, with 46 victories last year, setting the new program mark.
WilmU ended the regular season ranked 17th in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. They captured the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships. They made their second consecutive trip to the National Softball Championships with a 5-0 record through Regionals and Super Regionals.
After winning the University’s first-ever game at a finals site, the Wildcats were ranked a program-high No. 5 in the final 2024 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll with 330 points. National Champion UT Tyler was No. 1, followed by Western Washington, Indianapolis, and Lenoir-Rhyne.
During the 2024 season, the Wildcats hosted the CACC Tournament, the NCAA DII East Region 1 Tournament as the No. 1 seed, and the East Super Regional Tournament at Asbury Field — all firsts for the softball program.
Looking forward to the 2025 season, Shehorn says: “We have a great core of returning players that have not only been on the team during those World Series appearances but were also major contributors. I believe our conference and region will be even stronger this year, so it won’t be easy. Hopefully, we can stay healthy as a team and continue to grow together and peak at the right time.”
—Bob Yearick
Want to read more in-depth stories? Explore our latest magazine articles.
