Scot Thomas Head Coach Softball
Record 434-288 13th Year
1999 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
1999, 2000, 2002 & 2005 VaSID State Coach of the Year
2007 ACC Coach of the Year
2007 NFCA Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year

Thomas' Career Milestones
WinsDateOpponent
1March 15, 1996Maryland-Eastern Shore
25March 12, 1997Liberty
50March 11, 1998Yale
75Feb. 26, 1999George Mason
100April 2, 1999Saint Peter's
150April 8, 2000Massachusetts
200April 29, 2001St. John's
250March 14, 2003St. Bonaventure
300April 27, 2004Virginia
350Feb. 19, 2006Charlotte
400Mar. 4, 2007Stetson

Thomas' Philosophies
Priorities: In order to fit into the picture at Virginia Tech, you must have your priorities in line. Academics take precedence over athletics. Our motto is: "In order to take care of business on the field, you must first take care of business off the field." On the other hand, we stress that softball should not suffer for academics either. Being able to manage time wisely and efficiently is the key to the success of balancing academics with athletics at Virginia Tech.

Recruiting: It is our goal to fill the recruiting needs of our program with mature, self-driven/motivated student-athletes along with the necessary talent to help our team be successful in the Atlantic Coast Conference and on a national level. Recruiting is not a perfect science, however being a state university, we try our best to sign quality players from the state of Virginia first, then broaden our opportunities in other areas of the country and Canada. Players should possess the selflessness to fit into the team concept and the inner drive that guides them to be CHAMPIONS.

Playing the game: Teams that are fundamentally sound are always successful. We try to emulate that style on a game-by-game basis, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, we have tended to be a program that is fundamentally sound as well. We have shown a knack for hitting the ball for power, both home run and gap power. This year, we have added some speed and hope to provide a more balanced attack. Smart, yet aggressive is our style of play.

Blacksburg and Virginia Tech: As a native of Blacksburg, I have grown to appreciate this special place as I have gotten older and I always look forward to showing it off to new recruits. The small town atmosphere with the major university flair provides a unique academic and social environment. The history and traditions of this great institution make it one of a kind and one that I am very proud to be a part of. I still get chills during the Homecoming Parade when the Alumni Highty-Tighties march through downtown playing TECH TRIUMPH!

Not many people can say they have reached their final destination, but I feel very lucky to be at Virginia Tech and plan on being here for the duration of my coaching career. I am fortunate to be able to raise my children in the same great environment that my wife and I grew up in, here in Blacksburg.
 
photo Now entering his 13th season, Scot Thomas has positioned Hokie softball as one of the most respected programs, not only in the state and region, but has put in on the national map as well. With nine winning seasons under his belt, including three straight NCAA Regional appearances, Thomas is looking to lead his veteran team to new heights.

Last year, he saw his team post 49 wins, including the ACC's regular season and conference tournament championships. Those titles were the first in the program's history and helped him earn ACC Coach of the Year honors. He also picked up his 400th career win, a 3-0 victory over Stetson, and saw his team finish ranked 14th in the country, a program high. Additionally, Thomas - along with his three assistants - were named the Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year by the NFCA.

In 2006, the Hokies won 39 games and were a No. 2 seed at the Knoxville Regional, despite starting seven sophomores or freshmen down the stretch. He helped coach Tech's first softball All-American, as well as five all-region, four all-conference and seven all-state selections.

In 2005, Tech picked up 44 wins and was selected to the NCAA Tournament, a first in the program's history. After finishing seventh in the conference, the Hokies made a dramatic run to the championship game to secure the bid. Three players earned all-region honors and over two dozen school records were broken by either the team or individuals.

In 2004, he led Tech to its sixth winning season while picking up his 300th win. Three players earned All-BIG EAST honors while two took home all-region accolades as Tech posted a 36-23 record.

Thomas became Tech's first head softball coach when he was hired on July 7, 1995. Since then, he has recorded 434 wins, averaged 36 wins per season and made the conference tournament championship game six times.

The Hokies finished a spectacular 1999 season ranked 25th in the nation with a 54-16 record. In just its fourth year as a varsity sport, the team placed second at the A-10 tournament, falling to Massachusetts for the second year in a row. For his team's play, Thomas was named the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. Tech's hopes for a regional at-large bid were denied, but it did receive the national attention it had been working for. An upset of No. 4 Michigan highlighted the season. Tech finished the year undefeated at home and 14-2 in Atlantic 10 play, losing only to UMass. The Hokies had the third-longest winning streak in the nation at 26, and at one point won 35 of 36 games.

In 2000, his first recruiting class left its mark on the program as the Hokies went 41-22 and finished second in the A-10 Tournament. Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and two-time GTE National First-Team Academic All-American Michelle Meadows led the team both on the field and off.

In 2002, Thomas led the Hokies to their third 40-win season and a runner-up finish at the BIG EAST Softball Championship.

While success on the field is important, Thomas also places a strong emphasis on success in the classroom. In 12 seasons, he has had four players earn Academic All-America honors. Michelle Johnson made the 1998 second-team squad while Meadows was a three-time selection, the last two being on the first team. Following the 2002 season, Ashlee Dobbe earned first-team honors and Angela Tincher is a two-time Academic All-American, to go along with two NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-America honors.

In the 1999-2000 season, the Hokies finished tied for ninth in the nation for team grade point average (3.28).

Respected by many, Thomas has been named the Virginia State Coach of the Year by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) four times (1999, 2000, 2002 and 2005). He has had over 23 different players named to the all-state team 41 different times, including at least three on every team in nine of the last 10 seasons.

Thomas graduated from East Tennessee State University in 1991 with a bachelor's in physical education. He is on the Louisville Slugger advisory staff for the 13th straight year. He was also selected to be the head coach of a group of local collegiate all-stars who took on the U.S. Olympic Softball Team in Salem, Va., in the summer of 2004 and will do so again in the summer of 2008.

Thomas is also an active ballplayer in the fastpitch world, playing in the ASA Men's B Nationals in 2003 and the NSA World Series in 2004 and 2005.

A native of Blacksburg, Va., Thomas graduated from Blacksburg High where he was a member of the football and baseball teams. He is married to the former Carolyn Croy, a Tech graduate from Blacksburg.

The couple has a son, Andrew Scot, who is 10, and a daughter, Eliza Leigh, who turned 6 in November.

Thomas Year-By-Year
YearOverallPct.ConferencePct.Notes
199616-32.3336-10 (Atlantic 10).375Inaugural Season; 8-game winning streak
199724-32.4299-9 (Atlantic 10).500
199832-31.5089-9 (Atlantic 10).500
199954-16.77114-2 (Atlantic 10).875A-10 Runner-up; 26-game winning streak; VaSID State Coach of the Year
200041-22.65112-4 (Atlantic 10).750Atlantic 10 Runner-up; VaSID State Coach of the Year
200136-23.61012-8 (BIG EAST).600First season in BIG EAST; Fourth consecutive winning season
200242-18.70012-8 (BIG EAST).600BIG EAST Runner-up; 13- and 12-game winning streaks; VaSID State Coach of the Year
200321-29.4206-12 (BIG EAST).333Three NFCA First-Team All-Northeast Region Selections
200436-23.6109-11 (BIG EAST).450
200544-25.6384-13 (ACC).235NCAA Regional appearance
200639-21.65012-4 (ACC).750NCAA Regional appearance
200749-16.75315-5 (ACC).750ACC Champs, NCAA Regional appearance
Overall434-288.601116-97.545