Head Coach Dean Johnson
Univ. of New England ‘86
17th season

Dean Johnson has developed the Cougar softball team into one of the top programs in the region and in the nation. The 2010 season was typical for the Cougars under Johnson, as Caldwell tied for first in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference regular-season standings and qualified for its sixth NCAA Regional Tournament in seven years. Following the 42-16 campaign that saw the Cougars set program records for regular-season victories (40) and conference wins (23), Johnson received his fifth CACC Coach of the Year award and was named the ECAC Coach of the Year. Through 16 seasons, Johnson has compiled a record of 483-233-2 to rank among the top active NCAA Division II softball coaches.

What is almost as remarkable as his accomplishments is how Johnson became the head softball coach at Caldwell College in 1995.

Just before the 1995 spring season, the softball coach at the time left in the middle of a practice and never returned. Mark Corino, Caldwell’s Executive Director of Athletics, asked Johnson if he would fill in as softball coach. Johnson agreed, finished the practice session that day and stayed on as coach through the season. Since that day in 1995, his teams have won at least 27 games in each of the past 12 seasons while experiencing only one losing campaign during his tenure. Over the past seven seasons, the Cougars have gone 270-107-2 overall and 135-23 in the CACC.

The Cougars reached the pinnacle of college softball in 2004, when they captured the Northeast Region Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II College World Series. Johnson’s squad finished 45-7 and was ranked seventh in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association national poll, the highest national ranking ever for any sport at Caldwell. The NFCA honored Johnson and assistant coach Barbara Hutchinson by naming Caldwell’s coaching staff the 2004 Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year.

In 2005, Johnson led the Cougars to a 40-11 overall record, including an 18-2 mark in the CACC. Caldwell repeated as CACC Tournament champions and advanced to the Northeast Region Tournament for the second straight year. In 2006, the Cougars made it three consecutive CACC Tournament titles and again qualified for the regional tourney, finishing with a 37-16 record. After losing in the finals in 2007, Caldwell returned to the top of the league in 2008 by winning the CACC Tournament for the fourth time in five years.

In 2009, the Cougars participated in the regional for the fifth time in six years and advanced to the finals at Le Moyne. They finished 37-18-2 overall and 20-4 in the CACC, receiving votes in the final NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll. Nationally, the Cougars appeared in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll in 29 of 30 polls stretching from 2004 to 2007.

Johnson has recruited several talented student-athletes to Caldwell. Many of his players have earned All-CACC and NFCA All-Region honors, including current Cougars Brittany Pulido and Kelly Ryan. Last season Kyrie Timbrook was named to the NFCA and Daktronics All-America first teams, becoming the sixth All-American in the program’s history.

Johnson’s athletes also perform well in the classroom, as many of Caldwell’s student-athletes have earned NFCA Scholar-Athlete awards. In 1996, the Cougars had the highest grade-point average among all NAIA programs. The 2007 squad ranked 13th among all NCAA Division II softball programs in GPA, with nine Cougars receiving NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete honors. Additionally, the Cougars received an award from the NCAA for having the highest GPA among the eight teams participating in the 2004 College Softball World Series. Kyrie Timbrook earned a spot on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American second team in 2010.

In addition to his duties as softball coach, Johnson has been an assistant coach for the Cougar men’s basketball team for the past 21 years. He also has been Caldwell’s Associate Athletic Director for the last 11 years. For his contributions to the College and its athletic department, Johnson received the prestigious Caldwell Cup from president Sister Patrice Werner in May of 2008.

A native of Belgrade Lakes, Maine, Johnson set many basketball records as a point guard at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. He also played major modified fast-pitch softball, and in 1990 his team placed third nationally. Johnson graduated from the University of New England in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education. He earned a Master’s degree from Caldwell College in 1997.

Assistant Coach Jackie Velardi
Caldwell College ‘07
Fourth season

Jackie Velardi begins her fourth season as an assistant coach for the Cougars following a stellar career on the field from 2004-07. An all-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference first team selection in 2005, Velardi batted .299 and amassed 162 hits and 95 RBIs in 203 career games. As the starting first baseman, she played a significant role in Caldwell’s run to the 2004 College World Series, batting .336 with three home runs and 20 RBIs. Velardi turned in her best season as a senior in 2007, when she hit .340 with 27 runs and 25 RBIs while earning a spot on the CACC all-Tournament team. During her four seasons at Caldwell, the Cougars won four CACC regular-season titles, three CACC Tournament crowns and an NCAA Northeast Region championship, while compiling an overall record of 156-51.

Velardi graduated from Caldwell with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies in 2007. She currently resides in Belleville, N.J.