Karen Mullins

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Karen Mullins
Playing career
Basketball
1975–1979Connecticut
Softball
1978–1979Connecticut
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1980–1981Nichols
1984–2014Connecticut
Head coaching record
Overall872–636–5
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
3× Northeast Coach of the Year (1989, 1990, 1993)
5× Big East Coach of the Year (1992–1995, 1997)

Karen Mullins is an American college softball coach, most recently the long-time head coach of the Connecticut Huskies softball team. She served in that role from 1984 to 2014. She announced her retirement on May 19, 2014.[1][2]

Playing career[]

Mullins played four years of basketball at Connecticut and also two years of softball. Connecticut was just beginning to establish women's sports during her time as a student in Storrs.[1]

Coaching career[]

After completing a master's in sport management at UConn, Mullins became head coach at Nichols College in Massachusetts. She led the team for two seasons, compiling a 10–10 record before moving to E. O. Smith High School as a basketball coach. In 1984, she returned to UConn as head softball coach.[3] Mullins would remain at UConn for thirty one seasons, leading the Huskies to 10 top 2 finishes in the NCAA Northeast rankings, eight appearances in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship, a Women's College World Series berth in 1993, six Big East Conference regular season and seven Big East Conference Softball Tournament championships, and an overall record of 862–626–5. Over 96 percent of her players graduated, nine earned All-American honors, six were named academic All-Americans, and her players earned Big East Player or Pitcher of the Year awards 11 times.[1] She retired as one of the top 50 all-time coaches in career wins.[4] Mullins was one of the longest-tenured coaches at UConn, although many coaches also had remained in Storrs for multiple decades.[5][6]

Head coaching record[]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Nichols (NCAA Division III) (1980–1981)
1980 Nichols 5–4
1981 Nichols 5–6
Nichols: 10–10
Connecticut (Independent) (1984–1989)
1984 Connecticut 22–2
1985 Connecticut 34–7
1986 Connecticut 30–17–1
1987 Connecticut 27–7–1
1988 Connecticut 34–13
1989 Connecticut 29–12 NCAA Regional
Connecticut (Big East Conference) (1990–2013)
1990 Connecticut 34–9 NCAA Regional
1991 Connecticut 35–18–1 NCAA Regional
1992 Connecticut 42–10 6–0 NCAA Regional
1993 Connecticut 45–14 7–1 Women's College World Series, 1–2
1994 Connecticut 29–18 15–2 NCAA Regional
1995 Connecticut 37–20 16–3 NCAA Regional
1996 Connecticut 36–22 16–4 NCAA Regional
1997 Connecticut 30–20 15–1
1998 Connecticut 24–21–1 8–7
1999 Connecticut 23–23 9–7
2000 Connecticut 37–17 12–4
2001 Connecticut 36–23 14–6 NCAA Regional
2002 Connecticut 13–36 5–15
2003 Connecticut 24–23–1 12–8
2004 Connecticut 23–23 6–12
2005 Connecticut 20–25 8–10
2006 Connecticut 19–29 6–14
2007 Connecticut 22–21 10–9
2008 Connecticut 22–22 13–7
2009 Connecticut 29–22 11–12
2010 Connecticut 21–30 7–15
2011 Connecticut 19–30 6–15
2012 Connecticut 21–27 9–13
2013 Connecticut 26–27 8–14
Connecticut (American Athletic Conference) (2014)
2014 UConn 13–38 3–17 8th AAC Tournament
Connecticut: 856–626–5 (.577) 222–196
Total: 866–636–5 (.576)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Karen Mullins". UConn Huskies. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  2. ^ "Softball Coach Karen Mullins To Retire". UConn Huskies. May 19, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  3. ^ "Karen Mullins sees role as UConn softball coach as 'great opportunity'". The Day. New London, Connecticut. January 31, 1984. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  4. ^ Ned Griffen (May 20, 2014). "Waterford's Mullins retires after 31 seasons as UConn softball coach". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  5. ^ Paul Doyle (March 26, 2010). "UConn Softball Coach Has Seen Basketball's Rise Under Geno". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  6. ^ David Borges (June 16, 2012). "UCONN: Coaches have stuck around for a long time with the Huskies". Middletown Press. Middletown, Connecticut. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
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