FAMU names softball field after Coach Veronica Wiggins

Usually at many establishments, softball is taken into account a secondary sport with a stage of respect a step under the foremost packages. That isn’t true and Florida A&M and it was confirmed on Mar. 2 as lots of gathered to have fun a FAMU teaching legend’s final honor. The sector previously known as the FAMU Softball Complicated was renamed Veronica Wiggins Area.

The FAMU and MEAC Sports activities Corridor of Famer was honored simply three years after final teaching the Girl Rattlers. Her profession is famous. She was the primary coach to achieve 700 wins as an HBCU coach and is about 200 wins forward of the following closest coach. She ended her profession with over 725 wins.

She additionally received 13 MEAC softball championships and competed in eight NCAA School Softball World Collection Regional playoffs. She mentored quite a few All-MEAC, All-American and Hal of Fame athletes.

Nevertheless, in case you ask her, she doesn’t know the precise variety of wins she achieved, convention championships or coach of the 12 months honors. That was by no means what was necessary to her.

“Them youngsters. That’s what it was about. It was about educating them life via softball. Folks at all times ask me what achievement I’m most proud about. It’s the medical doctors, legal professionals, academics, leaders and moms that got here from our program. After I see certainly one of my former gamers come again and is a mother they usually deliver me their youngsters…that tops all of it. No trophy or award can high that feeling,” Wiggins mentioned.

FAMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Daybreak Sykes pushed via the naming as she had heard a lot about Wiggins early in her tenure at FAMU. “With 29 seasons underneath her belt, Coach Wiggins has left an indelible mark on FAMU Athletics, boasting a powerful 726 wins—essentially the most in our historical past. Her management propelled the Rattlers to unprecedented success, clinching 13 MEAC Championships and quite a few NCAA Regional appearances. This dedication to excellence and her enduring mentorship cements Coach Wiggins’ legacy as a real icon of FAMU Softball,” Sykes mentioned.

On a cloudy day with a touch of rain, the ceremony occurred on the FAMU Tennis courts that are adjoining to the softball complicated. After the ceremony by which FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. and Sykes spoke, a number of gamers had the chance to talk on Wiggins. The recollections have been an identical. Most mirrored on Wiggins’ affect of their lives past the softball discipline.

Following the ceremony was a ribbon-cutting on the precise discipline. Freshly sewn into the professional turf discipline in orange and white letters have been giant letters spelling out Veronica Wiggins Area. Wiggins was shocked and started to tear up. She and President Robinson lower the ceremonial ribbon after which cleared the sector for the sport. The Girl Rattlers would then get the primary victory of Veronica Wiggins Area. Paced by an inside-the-park house run by Nyomi Jones, FAMU downed the Jacksonville College Dolphins 5-2.

Amongst these current on the occasion was FAMU Sports activities Corridor of Fame chairman Marvin Inexperienced, Jr. Working with Wiggins whereas serving as an affiliate athletics director at FAMU for a while, Inexperienced is stern in regards to the respect that needs to be placed on Wiggins’ title. “Once you point out Jake Gaither as a FAMU nice coach, the following phrases out of your mouth needs to be Veronica Wiggins. She is the feminine equal of him”