Anna Welsh
Anna Welsh
Head Coach Softball
Phone Number: 574.257.3418
Send an Email
Coach Welsh is entering her fifth year as Head Coach at Bethel and her seventh overall. Originally from Bradley, Illinois, Welsh graduated in 2001 from Olivet Nazarene University with a degree in Speech Communication. Welsh, a two-sport athlete, played both softball and basketball. While at Olivet she earned numerous awards as a shortstop and a catcher. Those awards include NAIA National Player of the Week, All-Conference, All-Region, NCCAA All-American, and NAIA All-American Honorable Mention. She was also a member of the 2000 NCCAA National Championship softball team. Her team advanced to two NAIA National Softball Tournaments (‘98,’99) and one NAIA National Basketball Tournament (‘00).
Unfortunately, Welsh’s college career was cut short due to a torn ACL in basketball during her senior year. She was unable to participate in the remainder of the basketball season as well as her senior year of softball. Fortunately, the injury led to the beginning of her coaching career as she became the student assistant and first base coach. In only three seasons of competition at Olivet, Welsh’s (Babinski) name can be found in many categories in the record books.
In the summer of 2001, Welsh was a member of the Chicago All-Star team that competed against Lisa Fernandez and the 2001 Olympic Softball Team. They also played the WPSL (Women’s Professional Softball League) All-Star Team.
In August of 2002, Welsh took the head coaching position at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Accepting the job at the age of 22, it made her one of the youngest head coaches in the NCAA. She led the Saint Mary’s squad to their first conference tournament championship by defeating the #3 ranked team in the country. Welsh produced the 2004 MIAA offensive player of the year, defensive player of the year, and batting champion. She and her assistants were named 2004 MIAA Coaching Staff of the Year.
In the summer of 2004, Welsh helped coach the Midwest All-Star team against Mike Candrea’s 2004 Olympic Softball team. Team USA was traveling the country with star pitcher Jennie Finch on the ‘Aiming for Athens’ tour.
Welsh took over the Bethel Pilots in the summer of 2004. She led the 2005 Pilots to a 33-21 and a trip to the NAIA Regional Tournament. The 2006 season proved even more successful as Bethel won the MCC Conference title with a 14-2 record and 37-23 mark overall.
In 2007, Welsh led Bethel to its best season to date. Bethel was ranked as high as 21st during the regular season. The Pilots tied a school record of 45-10 en route to winning Bethel’s 2nd NCCAA National Championship. Bethel also won the NAIA Region VIII Tournament for the first time which earned them a birth into the NAIA World Series in Decatur, Alabama. The Pilots went 2-2 at the tournament.
In 2007 Welsh was named NAIA Region VIII Coach of the Year, MCC Coach of the Year, and NCCAA Coach of the year. She and her staff were named NFCA Great Lakes Coaching Staff of the Year.
This past 2008 season showed to have even more success than the previous. The Pilots finished the regular season ranked 13th in the country. The Pilots broke the single season wins record and finished the year 51-6. They went undefeated in the MCC Conference for the second straight year and won the MCC Conference Tournament. The Pilots won the NAIA Regional earning a trip to the NAIA National Tournament for the second straight year where they duplicated their previous record going 2-2 in pool play. Bethel had the lowest numbers of loses by any NAIA team in the country.
In 2008 the NAIA Region VIII, MCC, and NCCAA Great Lakes Region named Welsh the Coach of the year. She and her staff were named NFCA Great Lakes Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight year. Under Welsh, Bethel teams have set single season team hitting records in hits, home runs, doubles, runs, RBIs, stolen bases, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. Welsh’s teams have set single season pitching records in ERA, strikeouts, complete games and shut outs. Many of her players have set individual single season records as well.
Welsh’s overall coaching record is 201-96-1 (166-60 with Bethel). Welsh has the highest winning percentage (.735) amongst all Bethel Softball coaches.
She and her husband Jeff reside in Osceola, IN with their daughter, Izabelle who turns two in October and Elijah who was born in June.
