Nashville, TN - Hofstra Softball Coach Bill Edwards will be one of three coaches inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame in the class of 2009 at the organization's annual Hall of Fame banquet this evening.

Frank Cheek of Humboldt State University and Diane Ninemire of the University of California will also be inducted. The 2009 class will bring the NFCA's Hall of Fame to 50 members.

Bill Edwards has completed 20 seasons as Hofstra University Head Softball Coach, and he has been the architect of a program that has grown to national prominence. He has led Hofstra to the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament in the 2004, 2005 and 2008 seasons, and helped the Pride capture a remarkable 11 straight conference tournament titles from 1998-2008, which is an NCAA Division I record for softball. His career record stands at 721-351-3 in 20 seasons, ranking him in the top 25 in NCAA history in career winning percentage.

Edwards guided Hofstra to a school record 45 wins in 2008, including two at the NCAA Regionals in Hempstead as it advanced to the regional finals for the third time. The Pride finished with a 45-13 record, while winning the Colonial Athletic Association regular season and postseason championships, earning Edwards the CAA Coach of the Year award.

The 45 wins in 2008 broke the previous school record of 43, set in 2005, when Hofstra reached the NCAA Regional finals at Alabama with a 2-1 win over Arizona State. The year before, he led the Pride to the 2004 NCAA Regional finals at Stanford University, where the Pride won four games and fell just one win shy of reaching the Women's College World Series. In the last six years, Hofstra has won 12 NCAA Tournament games, including victories over Penn State, Nebraska, Auburn, Stanford and Arizona State, while defeating five pitchers who earned All-America honors during their careers.

While the last decade has been especially noteworthy on a national level, the Hofstra Softball program has also displayed consistent excellence over his 20-year career. Edwards and company have garnered 11 NCAA Tournament appearances during that span. In each of the last 18 seasons under Edwards, the Pride has won either a regular season or a postseason conference title, including 11 straight tournament championships, breaking the previous record of nine straight conference titles set by Massachusetts from 1995-2003.

To view the NFCA's Hall of Fame announcement, go to the following link:

http://www.nfca.org/news/?id=3034