WINONA, Minn. – A former Saint Mary’s champion softball coach, John Tschida, himself a Saint Mary’s grad, is coming home. Tschida will be head softball coach as soon as the current season is over at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. He has been with the Tommies 21 years. with seven national fastpitch championship appearances and two other national titles. With the Tommies moving up to Division I, it was time, he said, to make his own move. Saint Mary’s is Division III. “I love the Division III atmosphere,” he said.” It’s the culture I grew up with. I enjoy the Division III philosophy of developing a lot of different levels of players and watching them grow as people and as players.” In his first Saint Mary’s stint, from 1995 to 2000, Tschida guided the Cardinals to a NCAA Division III national championship.
His record
Tschida’s combined record at St. Thomas and Saint Mary’s: 977 and 187.