Forsty to retire from coaching following 2018 season

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

BETHANY, W.Va. (April 4) – After 31 seasons of leading the Bethany College softball program, Jan Forsty has announced her plans to retire from coaching following the 2018 season.

Forsty will continue to serve as a Professor and Chair of the Physical Education and Sports Studies Department.

"I am excited to continue working with our student-athletes and the team we have to compete for a championship in my final season," Forsty said. "We have what I believe is a really good team this year and they are a great group to go out with. The timing is right for me this season and I'm eager to see how far this team can go."

Forsty has been a mainstay at Bethany College since arriving on campus in 1987 as the head coach of both the softball and field hockey teams. From that point on, Forsty has led the Bison softball program to unparalleled success with 678 wins during that stretch. She is also one of only 15 coaches in NCAA Division III history to post 750 career wins.

"This is a bittersweet time for the College to see Jan retire from coaching," said Bethany Director of Athletics Brian Rose. "She has built a remarkable program which stands as one of the most successful in College history, but in addition to the championships, All-Americans and coach of the year honors, what Jan should be remembered for is the impact she has had on so many student-athletes and young coaches through her remarkable career."

"While her retirement from coaching means Jan won't have the same impact on the softball field, she will still play an important role for the College community," said Rose. "By sliding into the academic realm full time, Jan will be able to focus on continuing to build the Physical Education & Sports Studies department. This move will also create some separation between the academic and athletic departments, lessening the teaching load on coaches while allowing them to focus more on coaching and recruiting and retention of student-athletes."

Forsty elevated the Bison softball program to national prominence when she led the squad to its third-consecutive, and fourth overall, trip to the NCAA Championships in 2004. Her top year came in 2002 when Bethany compiled a 32-10 record and secured its second-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament and first since 1997. The Bison went on to win the Central Region and earned a trip to the NCAA Division III World Series for the first-time in program history. Forsty's team dropped their first two games at the World Series, including a 1-0 loss to eventual national champion Ithaca, but finished the year ranked sixth in the country in the final National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) Division III poll.

Individually, her players at Bethany have earned All-PAC status 160 times, won PAC Pitcher of the Year honors 13 times and been named PAC Most Valuable Player on 11 occasions. Forsty's players have also been named all-region 38 times, All-ECAC on nine occasions and four have earned All-America recognition.

In addition to her duties as the head softball coach, Forsty compiled 33 wins as Bethany's head volleyball coach from 2003-06, guided the Bison field hockey team to 11 wins from 1987-89, and coached the women's soccer team to a trio of PAC Championships and 31 victories from 1990-93.

Prior to coming to Bethany, Forsty was Director of Athletics and softball coach at Wheeling College (now Wheeling Jesuit). She started the softball program in 1982 and led the Cardinals to an NAIA national tournament berth in 1986 and a 13th place finish nationally.

Forsty graduated from Slippery Rock (Pa.) University in 1975 with a degree in physical education and earned her master's from SRU in 1989. She was inducted into Slippery Rock's Athletic Hall of Fame in September of 2007.

The search for Forsty's replacement will begin in the coming months.