The 2010 Wayne State University softball coaching staff led by head coach Gary Bryce has been selected as the Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year as announced this week by the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association).

Bryce along with long-time assistant Pat Kent and student assistant coach Sarah Berry  led WSU to a 52-13 record on the year and the GLIAC regular season championship. The Warriors went 5-1 in the post-season to advance to the second NCAA Championship (Elite Eight/College World Series) in program history. Playing key roles in their team's success this season were Louisville Slugger/NFCA First Team All-American Casey Hanes and third-team selection Alison Allen.  Hanes led all of Division II with the lowest ERA in the land at just 0.58.

This is the third time Bryce has been honored as region coach of the year.  In 1993, he was named the Division II Central Region "Coach of the Year" by the National Softball Coaches Association, the first for any GLIAC coach after his squad won a then school record 43 games.  His second recognition came in 2003, when his team became the first in school history to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight.

Bryce will enter his 30th year (in 2011) at the helm of the WSU softball program with 977 wins, which ranks sixth all-time among NCAA Division II head coaches.