Who is Michigan softball coach? What to know of Bonnie Tholl, successor to Carol Hutchins
Michigan softball was built from the ground up by former coach Carol Hutchins, one of the sport's all-time coaches.
Hutchins, who retired in 2022, is no longer leading the Wolverines, although they are back in the NCAA Softball Tournament this postseason as the No. 3 seed of No. 5 overall seed Oklahoma State's Stillwater Regional.
REQUIRED READING: Michigan softball names stadium after retired coach Carol Hutchins
Michigan hasn't quite been the same program that made the Women's College World Series 12 times in Hutchins' 38 seasons at the helm. But it's hoping to regain form under a new head coach, albeit a familiar face. The Wolverines finished with a 41-16 record this season en route to winning the Big Ten Tournament, an improvement from a 26-25 season a year ago while failing to make the postseason.
With that, here's a look at who the Wolverines' softball coach is after Hutchins' retirement:
REQUIRED READING: Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins retires after 38 seasons
Who is Michigan softball's coach?
Michigan's softball coach is Bonnie Tholl, who was Hutchins' top assistant for 29 years before being named head coach ahead of the 2023 season. She is in her 31st season with the Wolverines after joining the program as an assistant in 1994.
Tholl was an assistant coach from 1994-2002 before being named associate head coach in 2003. In 2005, she, Hutchins and assistant coach Jennifer Brundage were named the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year after Michigan became the first program east of the Mississippi River to win the Women's College World Series.
That season, the Wolverines capped a 65-7 season with a 10-inning win vs. UCLA in Game 3 of the WCWS championship series. With Tholl serving as associate head coach, Michigan made returns to the Women's College World Series in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016, finishing as runners up to Florida in 2015.
Tholl was also the program's long-time recruiting coordinator, helping bring in 63 players who eventually earned All-America honors, on top of 15 Big Ten Player of the Year recipients and 12 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year recipients. Prior to her stint at Michigan, Tholl was an assistant coach and graduate assistant in 1992-93 at Indiana.
Tholl was also a standout shortstop for the Wolverines, playing from 1988-91 and becoming the first player in Big Ten history to be named first-team all-conference four times. She shares the Big Ten record for fewest strikeouts in a conference season (zero, in 1991), and holds the Michigan record for most steals in a game (four, against Florida A&M in 1990).
Tholl's niece, Keke Tholl, has started all 56 games she has appeared in this season at catcher and first base, batting .274 with a team-leading 15 home runs and 42 RBIs.
Bonnie Tholl record
Tholl is in her second season as Michigan's softball coach. Here's her record by year:
2023: 26-25 (10-13 Big Ten and 10th-place finish)
2024: 41-16 (18-5 Big Ten and Big Ten champions)
Career: 67-41
REQUIRED READING: Michigan softball in 2024 NCAA tournament: Opens vs. Kentucky Friday in Oklahoma
Carol Hutchins record
Hutchins holds the most wins in college softball history, and 33 more than second-place Mike Candrea of Arizona. Here's her all-time coaching record and achievements:
All-time record: 1,707-551-5
WCWS appearances: 1995-98, 2001-02, 2004-05, 2009, 2013, 2015-16
National championships: 2005
Big Ten Tournament championships: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2019
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who is Michigan softball coach? Bonnie Tholl record, more to know
