Denny Dock of
Lakeshore (Stevensville), the all-time wins leader among high school softball coaches in the state of Michigan, had a solid season in 2025 with a 24-12 record. However, the 46-year veteran is no longer the winningest active coach in the nation – a position he held prior to the start of last season.
That is because Frank Huston of
Ottumwa (Iowa) came out of retirement last summer to coach the Bulldogs after six years away. A veteran of 54 seasons, 47 of them at Ottumwa, Huston has 1,875 career wins. That total places him second all-time in Iowa and national history behind Larry Niemeyer, who had 2,089.
Huston, who first began coaching the Bulldogs in 1974, is now in his 80s. He won state championships in 1976 and 1995, he was named national softball coach of the year in 1990 and he was inducted into the Iowa Softball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1994. He retired from teaching in 2002 and stepped down as the Ottumwa coach in 2019.
Closing in on 900 wins, Margaret Neill of California congratulates one of her players after winning a section title in 2024. (PHOTO: Heston Quan)
When coach Mandi Baum resigned her position as Ottumwa's softball coach last winter, Huston was given the position on an interim basis. According to the school's website, however, Huston is listed as the coach for the current school year.
Dock is No. 2 among active coaches with 1,322 wins, putting him nearly 30 wins ahead of No. 3 Jim Flaws of
Carlisle (Iowa) with 1,293 wins. Tony Vruggink of
Hudsonville (Mich.) is the second among active coaches in Michigan with 1,231 victories.
Read on for a look at all known coaches expected to be active during the upcoming season who have more than 700 career wins.
Active coaching wins leaders
1. Frank Huston — 1,875Career record: 1,875-522
Current school: Ottumwa (Iowa)
Years coached: 1974-2019, 2025
2. Denny Dock — 1,322
Career record: 1,322-357-2
Current school: Lakeshore (Stevensville, Mich.)Years coached: 1976-81, 1985-88, 1990-2025
3. Jim Flaws — 1,293
Career record: 1,293-245
Current school: Carlisle (Iowa)Year started: 1983
4. Tony Vruggink — 1,231
Career record: 1,231-293
Current school: Hudsonville (Mich.)Year started: 1982
5. Larry Heath — 1,192
Career record: 1,192-496
Current school: Burlington (Iowa)Year started: 1985
6. Howard Stuart — 1,189
Career record: 1,189-346-1
Current school: Richmond (Mich.)Year started: 1979
7. Mike Crossley — 1,178
Career record: 1,178-368
Current school: Newcastle (Okla.)Year started: 1988
8. Bob Bradfield — 1,138
Career record: 1,138-701
Current school: Fairfield (Iowa)Year started: 1979
9. Cheri Ritz — 1,071
Career record: 1,071-283-2
Current school: Wayland (Mich.)Year started: 1991
10. Carol Mitchell — 1,058
Career record: 1,099-319-4
Current school: Gibbs (Corryton, Tenn.)Year started: 1994
11. Ken Grams — 1,053
Career record: 1,053-447-2
Current school: Elk Grove (Elk Grove Village, Ill.)Years started: 1981
12. Tom Bakey — 1,042
Career record: 1,042-277
Current school: Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa)Year started: 1997
13. Kay Johnson — 1,026
Career record: 1,026-610-3
Current school: Morenci (Mich.)Year started: 1972
14. Perry Peterson — 1,006
Career record: 1,006-219-1
Current school: Barrington (Ill.)Years started: 1992
15. Jeff Cheadle — 944
Career record: 944-433
Current school: Laingsburg (Mich.)Year started: 1987
16. Glenn Rutenbar — 923
Career record: 923-165-1
Current school: Bartow (Fla.)Years coached: 1988-2015, 2018-25
17. Todd Merical — 923
Career record: 923-368
Current school: Dallas Center-Grimes (Dallas Center, Iowa)Year started: 1991
18. Margaret Neill — 888
Career record: 888-255-5
Current school: Paraclete (Lancaster, Calif.)Year started: 1981
19. JoEllen Smith — 886
Career record: 905-601-1
Current school: Owosso (Mich.)Year started: 1983
20. Andy Behmlander — 873
Career record: 893-449-6
Current school: Reese (Mich.)Years started: 1986
21. Brian Hess — 852
Career record: 852-366-3
Current school: Alexandria (Ala.)Year started: 2001
22. Andi Adams — 851
Career record: 851-354
Current school: Fort Dodge (Iowa)Year started: 1999
23. Marie Crump — 841
Career record: 841-140
Current school: Powhatan (Va.)Year started: 1981
24. Wilma Wilson — 836
Career record: 836-434
Current school: South Haven (Mich.)Year started: 1990
25. Pat Bowlin — 833
Career record: 833-223
Current school: Cotter (Winona, Minn.)Year started: 1983
26. Randy Stough — 833
Career record: 833-315-3
Current school: Prattville Christian Academy (Prattville, Ala.)Year started: 1997
27. David Mossor — 829
Career record: 829 wins
Current school: Ritchie County (Ellenboro, W. Va.)Years started: 1985
28. Alan Jones — 826
Career record: 826-213-5
Current school: Ballard (Louisville, Ky.)Year started: 1996
29. Greg Blakey — 814
Career record: 814-334-1
Current school: Mt. Zion (Ill.)Year started: 1992
30. Gary Mullins — 806
Career record: 806-172
Current school: Turners Falls (Montague, Mass.)Year started: 1981
31. Debbie Schwartz — 788
Career record: 788-199
Current school: Donovan Catholic (Toms River, N.J.)Year started: 1988
32. Guyla Smith — 787
Career record: 787-276-8
Current school: West (Texas)Year started: 1991
33. Julie Folliard — 792
Career record: 792-357
Current school: Richards (Oak Lawn, Ill.)Year started: 1989
34. Shane Eicher — 791Career record: 791-251
Current school: Owasso (Okla.)Year started: 2000
35. Andy Nussbaum — 768
Career record: 768-633
Current school: Naperville Central (Naperville, Ill.)Year started: 1984
36. Al Toliver — 761
Career record: 761-250
Current school: Normal University (Normal, Ill.)Years coached: 1995-2010, 2020-25
37. Judy Shaubach — 761
Career record: 761-383-10
Current school: Madera (Calif.)Year started: 1989
38. Mike Teshkoyan — 756
Career record: 756 wins
Current school: Caldwell (West Caldwell, N.J.)Year started: 1988
39. Rob Weil — 753
Career record: 753-207-7
Current school: Los Alamitos (Calif.)Year started: 1990
40. Mark Dicus — 751Career record: 751-263
Current school: Muskogee (Okla.)Years coached: 1987-1999, 2016-2025
41. Penny Reece — 742
Career record: 742-263-4
Current school: Bowling Green (Ky.)Year started:
42. Vondel Edgar — 731Career record: 731-185
Current school: Glenwood (Chatham, Ill.)Year started: 2000
43. Rick Robinson — 728Career record: 728-195-3
Current school: Norco (Calif.)Year started: 1994
44. Dave Riesen — 708Career record: 708-295
Current school: Pioneer-Pleasant Vale (Waukomis, Okla.)Year started: 1999
45. Jessica Aderholt — 702Career record: 702-396-5
Current school: Sumiton Christian (Sumiton, Ala.)Year started: 2007
46. Shelli Brown — 702Career record: 702-403
Current school: Sand Springs (Okla.)Year started: 1997
Additions? Corrections? Email kevinaskeland65@gmail.com
