Bill Graham - Softball Coach - University of Akron Athletics

Bill Graham

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
bgraham@uakron.edu
Phone:
330-972-5056

Bill Graham enters his second season on the Akron softball coaching staff in 2021.

"Coach Graham brings so much experience to our coaching staff. I look forward to his input on all facets of our program. His main focus will be offense and working with our hitters to elevate that aspect of our game," said Pettipiece. "I have known Coach Graham my entire coaching career and finally have the opportunity to work with him directly. His previous successes and his great personality brings exactly what we needed for our staff."

Graham, a 27-year veteran in the coaching world, came to Akron after spending one season at Southeast Missouri State as an assistant coach. There, Graham was responsible for working with the offense, infielders, and catchers, along with working closely with creating practice plans, recruiting, camps, travel, video, and scouting.

Prior to his stint at SEMU, Graham was the head softball coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for nine seasons (2009-18). Over the course of his tenure, Graham owned an overall record of 256-145-1 (.638) and captured the most single-season wins in program history (38).

In 2011, Graham and the Crimson Hawks won the school's first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship, broke the program record for single-season victories, was rated seventh in the final Division II ranking, made the programs first appearance at the DII College World Series, and was named the Coaching Staff of the Year for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Atlantic Region and the PSAC.

Graham mentored one of the most prolific players in school history in Hannah Mercer who broke IUP career records with 221 hits, 135 runs scored, 343 total bases, and 624 at-bats. Additionally, Mercer's 45 doubles rank second, is third with 50 stolen bases and 177 games played, ranks fifth in batting average (.354), sixth in triples (11), sixth in RBI (103), seventh in slugging percentage (.553) and tied for seventh in home runs (19).

Prior to coming to IUP, Graham spent 17 years as a softball and baseball coach, including the previous two as an assistant softball coach at Ashland. Graham had previous college head coaching experience at Saginaw Valley State, where he was also an assistant baseball coach, managing all aspects of both programs.

Graham was at Saginaw Valley State from 2004-07. His knowledge of the PSAC traces back to stints as an assistant softball coach at Edinboro from 2001-03 and head baseball coach at Gannon from 1999-01.

He was also an assistant softball coach at Penn State Behrend from 1992-95 and assistant baseball coach at the same school from 1995-98 while serving as the assistant sports information director for six years. Graham was an assistant baseball coach at Cathedral Prep High School in Erie from 1998-99.

Graham earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Penn State Behrend in 1994 and a master's degree in leadership and public administration from Saginaw Valley State in 2005.

2-10-21