Head coach Brenda Coldren enters her ninth year with the reigns of the Sycamore softball program. Coldren enters the year with an overall record of 129-224 over her nine years with the Sycamores. Under her guidance, the Sycamores have advanced to the semi-finals of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on two occasions.
In the last seven seasons, Coldren has guided seven student-athletes to nine all-conference honors, and her 2009 squad made the second semifinal appearance in school history at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship. Under Coldren's tutelage, three Sycamore seniors -- Katie Armour, Meredith Simpson and Darcy Wood -- were selected to the All-MVC Team, and Wood finished with the most career strikeouts of any pitcher in league history.
In Coldren's seven years with the Sycamores, her ISU squads pepper the program's all-time team and individual record books, appearing in all but five statistical categories at least once. Indiana State has also won a regular-season tournament title in each of the last four seasons, and the Sycamores have defeated four nationally-ranked opponents in Georgia Tech, NC State, Creighton, and Illinois State while playing under Coldren.
In 2007, Coldren's team appeared in 12 separate all-time record book categories and several of her players made their marks in the individual record books as well. Coldren placed one player on the MVC Second Team and three were honored as MVC Scholar-Athletes. The Sycamores finished the season at 21-26 and were one win away from advancing to the MVC Tournament semifinals. They finished 48th in the country in fielding percentage (.967) and 51st for their team ERA (2.21).
In 2006, the Sycamores had one of the finest years in school history where they were led by All-MVC pitcher Darcy Wood. Former Sycamore Katie Armour was also selected to the NFCA All-Mid East Region Team, becoming the first Sycamore ever chosen to the first-team squad. The Sycamores also placed Jackie Chomicki on the MVC All-Academic First Team for the second consecutive year. In addition to a host of individual accolades, the Sycamores finished the season in the program's all-time top 10 in nine different statistical categories, setting a school record for conference victories (12). The 25 victories accumulated (25-26 overall) ranks fourth in school history and is the most by any Sycamore team since 1992. In addition, the sixth place conference finish was the highest for the Sycamores since 1992.
As the Sycamores have steadily improved on the field of play, they have maintained their level of excellence in the classroom. Academically, the Sycamores have finished in the top 20 of the NFCA All-Academic Teams in each of Coldren's seasons. The All-Academic award ranks all NCAA Division I softball teams by their cumulative grade-point averages and the Sycamores claimed the top spot in 2004 as Coldren continues to build a program that excels on the diamond and in the classroom.
Coldren arrived at Indiana State after serving four years as head coach at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. At IWCC, she compiled a record of 93-84, with 85 victories coming in the last three years of her stay. Coldren set the Iowa Western single-season record for softball wins with 32 victories in 2001, eclipsing the mark her squad had established in 2000. The Reivers received their first national ranking under Coldren, appearing in the NJCAA Division I poll many times during the 2001 season.
Under Coldren's tutelage, 18 Iowa Western players earned first-team all-tegion accolades, one of whom went on to become a NJCAA All-American in 2001. Additionally, Coldren was instrumental in the development of 22 players who moved on to play at four-year schools, including nine NCAA Division I players. Her Iowa Western teams also performed very well in the classroom, producing an academic All-American in each of her last three seasons.
Coldren also served as an assistant coach at Drake from 1992-1998. During her stint with the Bulldogs, she worked primarily with the pitching staff, coaching three All-MVC pitchers and one MVC Rookie of the Year. The Drake pitching staff posted the lowest team ERA in the conference in 1993. Highlights of her years at Drake include winning two MVC tournaments (1993 & 1994), a MVC regular season title (1993), and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 1994. The Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 174-125 during Coldren's time in Des Moines. Coldren also spent a year as an assistant coach at Yale in New Haven, Conn.
Before entering the coaching ranks, Coldren was a highly acclaimed standout at Central College in Pella, Iowa. At Central, she helped lead the Dutch to four NCAA World Series appearances, including the 1988 NCAA Division III National Championship. She was named a first-team NCAA Division III All-American in 1989. In addition, she was the Iowa Conference Most Valuable Player in 1988 and was an all-conference selection from 1987 to 1989. Coldren still ranks in the top 10 in numerous career pitching categories at Central, including victories, strikeouts, winning percentage, shutout, and complete games. Until 2000, she held the national record for scoreless innings and finished her career with a .304 batting average. Coldren was also a member and captain of the Central basketball squad during her time in Pella.
Following her graduation from Central in 1989, Coldren went on to play professionally for the Green Island Softball Club in Dunedin, New Zealand, becoming the first American player recruited to play on the South Island of New Zealand. While there, she also played for the regional team Otago, leading them to a fourth place finish in the national tournament.
Coldren has been active within the National Fastpitch Coaches Association since 1992. She currently serves on the All-American and Coaching Staff of the Year Selection Committee and the Ethics Committee.
Coldren and her husband, Brian, have one son, Owen (8). Brian is the Associate Director of Education Student Services in the College of Education at Indiana State University, and the family resides in Terre Haute. Coldren's brother, Brent Vigness, is currently in his 16th season as head softball coach at MVC rival Creighton.
