- 2010 CaptainU National Coach of the Year
- 2010 NFCA Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year
- 2010 RMAC Coach of the Year
- 2009 RMAC Coach of the Year
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In just three years, Jen Fisher has taken Metro State from a first-year program to the College World Series and two RMAC regular season and postseason championships. She boasts a 125-36 (.776) record in her three seasons, including 92-20 (.821)Â in RMAC games.
In 2010, she garnered the highest honor for a college coach, earning CaptainU National Coach of the Year honors. Fisher guided the Roadrunners to their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and second straight RMAC regular season and tournament championships. Metro State finished the year with a 53-6 mark, including a conference record 37 wins with just two losses. However, the wins were not the only record set by the Roadrunners in 2010. They shattered the national home run record, totaling 112 to top the previous record of 98. They also broke the RMAC records for ERA, runs scored (tied the previous record) and home runs in conference games. Metro State also set the school record by winning 17 consecutive games from April 10 to May 6.
Fisher's team was led by third baseman Tara Mickelson, who was named Daktronics second team All-America and led the nation in home runs with 25 long balls. Shortstop Amber Roundtree and pitcher Christie Robinson were also honorable mention All-America selections. Robinson was also named RMAC and Central Region Pitcher of the Year.
After winning the RMAC regular season title, Metro State bounced back in the loser's bracket to win the RMAC Tournament after dropping a second round game. The Roadrunners swept Mesa State in the championship, winning 19-6 in the first game and 11-9 in 10 innings in the championship game. They went on to go 3-0 at the regional tournament, topping Mesa State again and Minnesota State twice. Facing No. 17 Wayne State (Neb.) in the super regional, Metro State won game one 2-1 on a walk-off home run by Jennessa Tesone and took game two 6-2 in nine innings to advance to the World Series.
At the World Series in St. Joseph, Mo., the Roadrunners fell in the opening round to No. 19 Angelo State (Texas) in a game that will be remembered for 20 illegal pitches called on the Roadrunners. Fisher's team regrouped and edged No. 7 Wayne State (Mich.) 1-0 and No. 1 North Georgia 4-1, beating first team All-America pitchers in each game. The season finally came to an end with No. 3 Hawaii Pacific, which went on to win the national championship.
In addition to the national coach of the year award, Fisher and her staff were named NFCA Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
The Roadrunners finished Fisher's second season in 2009 with a record of 40-12 overall and 29-7 in the RMAC as the team led the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored and home runs and finished second in ERA. Included in the win total was a 13-game winning streak in conference play. Metro State tied the NCAA Division II record for home runs in a season with 98, leading the nation in home runs per game and slugging percentage and finishing fifth in batting average and runs scored per game. Juniors Tara Mickelson and Kellie Nishikida became the first players in school history to earn All-America honors in softball after Mickelson finished second in the nation in home runs per game and fifth in runs batted in per game. Nishikida finished in the top-50 in the nation in runs scored, home runs and RBI. The team belted eight home runs in a game against UC-Colorado Springs on April 10 to tie the NCAA record for home runs in a game. Seven of Fisher's players earned all-conference accolades in 2009.
In 2008, Fisher and the Roadrunners went 32-18 overall, the first season of softball for Metro State since the program was reinstated. In conference play, Fisher led Metro State to a 26-11 mark, a second-place finish in the RMAC East Division and a trip to the conference tournament. Six players received all-conference honors, including two (Ashley Johnson, Sarah Rusch) to the second team. Additionally, the Roadrunners led the nation in home runs per game. Besides the Roadrunners' exploits on the field, Fisher helped establish a partnership with the Denver West High School softball team off the field, as the Roadrunners helped the girls with life skills, academic and personal pressures. The team received a community engagement award from the NCAA for its efforts.
Fisher came to Metro State after spending eight years as the head coach at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colo. During Fisher's time at Otero, the Rattlers won seven straight Region IX championships, two district championships and advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national tournament in 2005 and 2006.
Fisher, who had a career record of 355-119 at OJC, won seven consecutive Region IX Coach of the Year awards. During her time, Otero Junior College averaged over 43 wins a year, including over 50 wins in each of the past three seasons. Fisher's teams were ranked in the nation's top 20 during each of the past six years. During the 2005 season, the Rattlers hit a team record 152 home runs and placed seven starters among the nation's leaders in home runs. The NJCAA's leading home run hitter was from Otero in 2003, 2004 and 2005. During her tenure, Fisher coached seven NJCAA all-Americans and 13 academic all-Americans, as well as 45 all-Region players and 40 all-Region academic selections. In seven of her eight seasons, the Rattlers finished in the top 20 in the NJCAA Academic Team of the Year. Many of Fisher's players went on to play softball at the NCAA Division I or II levels, including UNLV, Louisville, CSU-Pueblo and Mesa State.
Fisher came to Otero in 1998-99, after serving as an assistant coach at Rocky Mountain High School and later Poudre High School for four seasons. She was also a head coach for the Buckaroos summer club softball program for four years, leading her 1997 and 1998 teams to third-place finishes at Colorado's state tournament.
A native of Fort Collins, Colo., Fisher prepped at Rocky Mountain High School, where she played softball, basketball and tennis and was the school's female athlete of the year in 1990. Fisher went on to play college softball at Creighton University for one season, then transferred to Colorado School of Mines. At Mines, she played shortstop and was the Orediggers' team captain in 1994. After finishing her softball career, Fisher transferred to Colorado State University and earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1997.
Fisher and her husband, Joe, have a son, Garrett Wayne, born in October 2000.
Fisher's 3-Year Collegiate Head Coaching Record
Â
| Year |
Overall |
Conference |
Postseason/Honors |
|
Metro State
|
| 2008 |
32-18 |
26-11 |
|
| 2009 |
40-12 |
29-7 |
RMAC Coach of the Year |
|
|
|
RMAC Reg. Season Champions |
|
|
|
RMAC Tournament Champions |
|
|
|
NCAA Tournament |
| 2010 |
53-6 |
37-2 |
CaptainU National Coach of the Year |
|
|
|
RMAC Coach of the Year |
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|
|
RMAC Reg. Season Champions |
|
|
|
RMAC Tournament Champions |
|
|
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NCAA Central Region Champions |
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|
|
College World Series |
| Totals |
125-36 |
92-20 |
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