Julie LeMaire Named NSU’s Head Softball Coach

LeMaire becomes just the third head coach in NSU softball program history.

Nova Southeastern University Director of Athletics Michael Mominey announced today that Julie LeMaire has been hired to take over the Sharks softball program. LeMaire becomes just the third head coach in NSU’s program history. 

“Coach LeMaire is exactly the right type of leader and personality that we are looking for as we continue building our culture of success within Shark athletics,” Mominey said.  “She is a proven winneron and off the field, she is fully committed to her student-athletes and outwardly passionate about her sport. Julie’s experience and accolades speak for themselves, but I truly believe the difference maker includes the intangibles she possesses that will take our softball program to national prominence, quite possibly in a relatively short period of time.”

LeMaire joins the NSU coaching staff after a successful four-year stint at Emporia State (Kansas). As one of the most successful Division II softball teams in the country, she guided the Hornets to a 164-65 record and three NCAA Regional Tournament appearances since taking over the program in 2012. In seven seasons as a head coach, LeMaire has compiled an impressive career record of 256-141 and a career .645 winning percentage.

“I am honored to be named the next head softball coach of the NSU softball program. I want to thank Mr. Mominey for giving me the opportunity to lead the Sharks back atop the Sunshine State Conference and Division II,” LeMaire said. “Nova Southeastern is not only a beautiful institution to recruit to, but a place I feel has a strong commitment to the student-athlete’s experience and future success. I look forward to using my passion and energy for the game to build a reputation Nova Southeastern, the alumni, and community can be proud of. In addition, I would also like to thank Kent Weiser for the amazing experience and support he gave me while leading the Emporia State Hornets for the last four years.”

In four years with the Hornets, LeMaire coached over 50 All-MIAA performers, one MIAA Player of the Year, two MIAA Defensive Players of the Year, two MIAA Freshmen of the year, 13 NFCA All-Region and 13 Daktronics All-Region performers, and three NFCA and three Daktronics All-Americans. In 2014, the Hornets posted their best record at 49-14 under LeMaire, winning their eighth straight MIAA regular season championship and earning their 11th straight trip to the NCAA tournament. The season’s success also gave LeMaire her second MIAA Coach of the Year award. 

In LeMaire’s first season with the Hornets, she made MIAA history by guiding Emporia State to a perfect 20-0 conference record, and a 3-0 mark in the MIAA tournament, becoming the first team in conference history to go undefeated through a complete round robin schedule. She also had 10 Hornet student-athletes named to the All-MIAA team in addition to having Stephanie Goodwin earn MIAA Freshman of the Year honors. En route to a 42-11 season record, LeMaire earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors in her first year.  

Prior to her stint at Emporia State, LeMaire spent three seasons at fellow MIAA member Fort Hays State. In just three seasons, she led the Tigers to a 92-76 overall record. By her last season in 2011, she had led the program to their first-ever MIAA Tournament Championship game appearance, while the team received votes in the NFCA (National Fast Pitch Coaches Association) national poll for the first time in school history.  During her tenure with FHSU, the program set five offensive program records, three pitching program records and two defensive program records in route to three consecutive 30-plus wins seasons, also a program record. 

Before taking on the head coaching role at Fort Hays State, LeMaire spent two seasons at fellow Sunshine State Conference member Lynn University as the assistant coach. She worked primarily with the pitching staff, outfielders and hitters. In two seasons working with the Fighting Knights pitching staff, she managed to helped drop the team ERA from 5.83 in 2007 to 2.69 in just one year. 

LeMaire also served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of North Dakota from 2004-06. While with the Fighting Sioux, she took part in recruiting and coaching All-American outfielder Casie Hanson, who would become the first player in UND history to win the NCC Freshman of the Year award. She also worked with standout pitcher Tara Petersen who became the UND all-time leader in most every pitching category and finished in the top 10 in NCAA Division II in career strikeouts. 

LeMaire had a four-year playing career as both a pitcher and outfielder at NCAA Division II Quincy (Illinois). As a senior, she was named the team’s Most Valuable Player and set both single season and career records in home runs. She was also a Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region and All-Great Lakes Conference selection, as well as the recipient of Quincey’s Brother Clete Van Ackeren Award for Academic and Athletic Achievement in 2004. 

A native of Basco, Illinois, LeMaire earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Quincy University in 2004 and a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of North Dakota in 2007.