Women's Softball - Our Coaches

Head Coach - Darci Brownell

Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year 2010
Northern California Coach of the Year 2010

DARCI BROWNELL is beginning her tenth season as the Wolverines Head Coach after serving 2 seasons as an assistant. In 2002 she helped guide the team to a Nor Cal Championship and a top 2 finish in Northern California with a record of 40-9. The Wolverines made a trip to the “Elite Eight State Softball Championships.” In eight seasons as the Wolverines head coach her record is 304-90 with two trips to the Elite Eight State Championships and six trips to the State Playoffs.

Her experience includes 10 years at the high school level where she led Del Camp High School to the playoffs six times. Four of her teams were CAL League Champions, and she was Coach of the Year in 1993. Her overall record at the Varsity level was 139-26. Darci compete at C.S.U. Sacramento for four years at the catching and outfield positions. She also played ASA summer ball for the Nor-Cal Tremors. She received her B.A. degree from C.S.U.S. in Childhood Development with a minor in Physical Education. She has a Master's in Education and Curriculum.
916-660-8110, dbrownell@sierracollege.edu

Assistant Coach - Rich Murray

RICH MURRAY is in his tenth season as an assistant coach at Sierra College. He joined the staff after 2 years as Head Coach and 3 years as as assistant coach at Del Campo High School. He has coached various A.S.A. travel teams in Sacramento for the past eight years.

As a graduate of C.S.U. Sacramento he earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration and a B.A. degree in Recreation Administration. He currently lives and works in Carmichael and has a daughter who played softball and graduated from the University of Tennessee.

Assistant Coach - Jim Wetzel

JIM WETZEL is in his sixth season working with the Wolverines softball team. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the program. Jim has played fastpitch softball for 30 years. Besides playing softball, Jim has coached at a high level for 15 years. During that time he worked with California Breeze, Hot Styx, Casa Robles High and San Juan High School.

As a coach, Jim has won numerous section and tournament championships. Jim has four daughters—Jennifer, Kati, Shelli and Casey. Throughout his coaching career, he has coached many elite softball players like Andrea Vidlund-Oregon, Kristen Allen- UOP, Ashley Nunes-University of San Diego, Annie Stevens-University of Nevada, Reno and Taylor Sawyer-University of Central Florida. Jim will be working with the infielders and hitters this season.

Assistant Coach - Betty Zamora

BETTY ZAMORA is in her first year as an assistant coach at Sierra College. She has played softball for over ten years, which includes two years at Sierra College and two years at Chico State.

As a utility player she is knowledgeable about all the positions on the field, and will be working with all the players. Also during the summer she has directed summer softball camps at Sierra College that range for various ages. Betty graduated from Chico State in the spring of 2008 with a B.S. degree in Mathematics- option in Education and a Minor in Statistics. She is currently completing the Credential Program at Chico State and is student teaching at Lincoln High School.

Assistant Coach - Michelle Granger

MICHELLE GRANGER joined the Sierra College coaching staff this season as a volunteer pitching coach. We are excited and please to have Michele as part of our coaching staff.

The power pitcher from Alaska, Michele Granger was key in clinching the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games for the U.S. Olympic Softball team. In the final game against China, she struck out eight and allowed three hits in five and two-thirds innings. She finished the tournament with a 2-0 record and 0.87 ERA.

As a pitcher, Michele has been clocked at 72 m.p.h. pitching from 40 feet, which would be a 110 m.p.h. fastball in baseball. Granger compiled equally amazing numbers while at Cal. From 1989- 93 Granger amassed 1,640 strikeouts and 94 shutouts in 183 games, both NCAA records.

The statistic that perhaps exemplifies Granger's dominance are her 25 no-hitters, five of which were perfect games. Granger broke the Bears' previous career record of six no-hitters in her sophomore year, and had six such outings against Stanford alone. She is the only player in history to compete in the ISF Jr. Girls' World Championships, the U.S. Olympic Festival, the Pan American Games and the ASA Women's Major National Championships in the same year (1987). She holds 20 records at the University of California-Berkeley, and six NCAA records including all-time strikeout leader.

Assistant Coach - Cortney Jones

Cortney Jones, former Sierra player and mother of two future softball players.