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
Year
Overall
Pct.
Conference
Pct.
Notes
1996
16-32
.333
6-10 (Atlantic 10)
.375
Inaugural Season; 8-game winning streak
1997
24-32
.429
9-9 (Atlantic 10)
.500
1998
32-31
.508
9-9 (Atlantic 10)
.500
1999
54-16
.771
14-2 (Atlantic 10)
.875
A-10 Runner-up; 26-game winning streak; VaSID State Coach of the Year
2000
41-22
.651
12-4 (Atlantic 10)
.750
Atlantic 10 Runner-up; VaSID State Coach of the Year
2001
36-23
.610
12-8 (BIG EAST)
.600
First season in BIG EAST; Fourth consecutive winning season
2002
42-18
.700
12-8 (BIG EAST)
.600
BIG EAST Runner-up; 13- and 12-game winning streaks; VaSID State Coach of the Year
2003
21-29
.420
6-12 (BIG EAST)
.333
Three NFCA First-Team All-Northeast Region Selections
Roth Report
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
