HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne announced on Friday that softball Head Coach Mickey Dean has signed a restructured agreement, extending his contract with the school through the 2021 season.
“Coach Dean’s work in his short time at JMU is exemplary,” Bourne said. “He has elevated our softball program to the level of being nationally competitive, and has laid a foundation for success that we expect will be sustainable well into the future. His approach to his student-athletes blends perfectly with our strategic vision in terms of commitment to academic achievement, on-field success, holistic development, personal care and community engagement. We are excited for our shared commitment with Coach Dean to the long-term success of our softball program at James Madison.”
Dean has brought JMU to new heights and into the national spotlight of collegiate softball since his arrival four years ago. He guided the Dukes to NCAA postseason participation each of the past four seasons after setting a JMU single-season wins record in each year. He has won more than 79 percent of his games as JMU’s head coach with a record of 185-48, including an impressive 70-7 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association and a pair of league championships.
“I am very appreciative of the support of our administration at JMU,” Dean said. “I look forward to the continued growth of our program on a national level. I want to also thank the community for the overwhelming support this year and hope to bring more excitement to the community in the future.”
Coach Dean rewrote the record books in 2016, winning the program’s third CAA Championship, first NCAA Regional title and achieving its first NCAA Super Regional appearance. The Dukes finished 11th in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll and garnered a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Championship. With a 50-6 mark, the Dukes concluded the season with the best record in program history (most wins and fewest losses). Dean coached the program’s first ever First Team All-American selections, Jailyn Ford and Megan Good, along with six All-CAA and All-Region selections and seven All-State honorees.
The Colonial Athletic Association named Coach Dean the Coach of the Year for the third straight season after an 18-1 record in conference play. The JMU staff was named the NFCA Northeast Region Staff of the Year for the second time in three years. On Thursday, Dean was also named VaSID State Coach of the Year for the fourth straight season at JMU and sixth time overall combined with two years at Radford.
In 11 seasons in the college ranks, Dean has amassed a 491-169 (.744) career record and a nine-year Division I coaching record of 426-164 (.722), having coached one season at the junior college level.
