JMU Hires Dean as Softball Coach
HARRISONBURG, Va., July 26, 2012 - James Madison University Athletics Director
Jeff Bourne has announced the hiring of
Mickey Dean to serve as the
Dukes' head softball coach. Dean, a native of the Central Shenandoah
Valley, has spent the past six seasons leading the Radford University
softball program to
unprecedented success. He also brings professional and international
coaching experience to the JMU softball program.
"We are extremely pleased to have Mickey Dean join our
staff and give leadership to our softball program," Bourne said. "He
shares our vision for student-athlete welfare and helping
our student-athletes attain excellence in the classroom and on the
playing field. Mickey has a proven track record as an exceptional coach
and a wonderful person. He will be a welcomed member to the JMU family
and an advocate for the members of our softball
program."
"It is no doubt great to return home, and I want to thank Athletics Director Jeff Bourne and Associate Athletics Director
Kevin White for this
opportunity," Dean said. "As I stated to both, I believe the future of
this program is limitless. With the combination of our history of
academic excellence and state-of-the-art
facilities, JMU softball can become a nationally recognized program
competing for championships at the highest level."
Dean guided Radford to a six-year overall record of 241-116 (.675) and
to an 84-21 (.800) mark in the Big South Conference. The Highlanders
finished first in the Big South's regular-season standings in each of
the past four seasons and captured championship
crowns by winning the Big South Championship Tournament in 2009 and
2010. In 2009 the Highlanders also claimed the program's first NCAA
tournament win, compiling three victories in their two NCAA appearances.
Dean was tabbed as the league's Coach of the Year
of the past four seasons and once on the regional scale. Since 2005,
Radford was the winningest program (320-163) in the state of Virginia
and from 2006-09, the Highlanders were just one of 10 Division I
programs nationally to win 40 contests each season.
His Radford players accounted for 15 Big South annual awards, 14
All-Region honors, 37 All-Conference laurels and 32 All-State
recognitions. Radford also had the program's first All-America
selection this past season.
"I enjoyed my time at Radford and am grateful to
everyone there. With the leadership and dedication of the
administration we were able to build a nationally recognized program,"
Dean said.
Prior to being named the Highlanders' head coach in 2006, Dean served as
an assistant coach at Longwood University (2005-06), Indiana University
(2002-04) and the University of Akron (2001-02).
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Dean has also worked
on the professional and international level. He was the pitching coach
for the Venezuelan National Team (2002-08) and the head coach for the
Chicago Bandits (2004-10) that finished as
the National Pro Fastpitch Regular-Season Champions five times and won
the World Championship in 2008. Dean was named NPF Manager of the Year
three times and coached world-renowned pitcher Jennie Finch, who was the
NPF's Co-Pitcher of the Year in 2005 and
has a gold and silver medal from her two Team USA Olympic appearances.
Dean attended nearby Spotswood High School, where he
was a multi-sport athlete. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in
public administration and a minor in business administration
from Elon University in 1987.
Dean and his wife, Liz, have two children, Isaac and Caroline.
"I look forward to help bring many successes and championships to our community," Dean said