Florida State University Athletics
Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2013
Softball coach Dr. JoAnne Graf finished her legendary career coaching on the field at Florida State that has been named in her honor. Over the span of her 30-year career with Seminole softball, Graf managed the unique accomplishment of building FSU into a national power in slow pitch softball and adjusting to the adoption of the fast-pitch format and continuing the programs domination.
Coach Graf's slow pitch teams won back-to-back AIAW (now NCAA) National Championships in 1981 and 1982 and she became the first collegiate softball coach in the country to earn 1400 victories before retiring in 2008. Florida State advanced to the College World Series seven times under Coach Graf and made 21 NCAA Regional appearances. She led the Seminoles to 10 Atlantic Coast Conference titles and was named ACC Coach of the Year six times.
Graf won over 75 percent of her games as a head coach (1437-478-6) and her Seminoles posted three seasons with 60 or more wins, 15 50-win seasons and 25 seasons with 40 or more victories.
Graf's players earned 25 All-America honors, 96 All-Region awards and 74 of her players were named All-ACC. In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, the ACC named the top 50 athletes in each sport and 23 of her FSU players made the 50-member roster.
