Scott Wachholz Named Green Bay Softball Head Coach

GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Green Bay Director of Athletics Mary Ellen Gillespie has announced the hiring of Scott Wachholz as the next head coach of the Phoenix softball program.

Wachholz will be the sixth head coach in program history, and comes to Green Bay following head coaching stints at UW-Parkside and Williston State College. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his Master’s degree from Southwest Minnesota State University.

“We are thrilled to welcome Scott to the Phoenix Family.  His head coaching experience and his total commitment to the overall development of our student-athletes is what set him apart in our process.  We are excited for him to start and for our program to grow under his leadership,” Gillespie said.

“I cannot express enough how excited I am at the chance to lead the Green Bay softball program into its next chapter. I want to thank Director of Athletics Mary Ellen Gillespie and the search committee for giving me this opportunity to join the Phoenix Family. With the talent I see in state and the surrounding region, I am excited to build on the program’s strong foundation. Being a Wisconsin native, I am honored to be given this chance to join such a historic athletic department and community, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together,” Wachholz said.

Wachholz joined the UW-Parkside Rangers staff in July 2014, after spending the prior season as the head coach at Williston State College in North Dakota. While at the junior college, the Tetons finished 30-17 overall while boasting a 12-2 mark in Mon-Dak Conference play. Williston State claimed the NJCAA Region XIII Championship before securing a runner-up finish at the district tournament. Wachholz was named the Region XIII Coach of the Year in 2014 while seven student-athletes claimed All-Region XIII accolades in addition to one earning NFCA All-American distinction. The 2014 Tetons shattered 15 single season school records while ranking first nationally in batting average, slugging percentage and triples while ranking second in on-base percentage. In addition to coaching duties, Wachholz served as the department's strength and conditioning coach while also serving as the institution's lead admissions recruiter.

“We are excited that Scott will be leading our softball program moving forward. He has a proven track record of developing players, maximizing talent and understands the college softball landscape. Scott is committed to the total development of the student-athlete, both on and off the field, and we can’t wait to have him on campus,” Assistant AD for Compliance and Student Welfare and Senior Woman’s Administrator Kassie Batchelor said.

Prior to Williston, Wachholz spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach and assistant strength & conditioning coordinator at a pair of NCAA Division II institutions. He served in that capacity at Southwest Minnesota State University during the 2013 season after a one-year stint in Georgia with Columbus State University in 2012. As an assistant at CSU, Wachholz helped the Cougars post a 40-20 overall record, winning the Peach Belt Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

Wachholz was a student assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin from 2005-2009 and served as an assistant coach at Sun Prairie High School from 2009-2011.

Wachholz graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor’s degree in exercise science and psychology before earning a master's degree in sports leadership at Southwest Minnesota State University.

*Release courtesy of Green Bay athletic communications