The NFCA Board of Directors announced today the selection of Carol Bruggeman as the Association’s Interim Executive Director, following the resignation of longtime Executive Director Lacy Lee Baker.

Bruggeman, who joined the NFCA as Associate Executive Director in September 2014, is a longtime NCAA Division I coach at Michigan, Purdue and Louisville, and a well-respected national speaker, clinician, educator and author.

“I am humbled and honored to serve as Interim NFCA Executive Director,” Bruggeman said. “I would like to thank the NFCA Board of Directors for this opportunity and I look forward to working with our dedicated NFCA staff as we move through this transition. I would also like to thank Lacy Lee Baker for her dedication and service to the NFCA.”

She is certainly no stranger to the Association, having been an active member for 25 years while unselfishly serving the NFCA in numerous capacities. She had a four-year term as president and stints as both the Past-President and Fourth Vice President on the NFCA’s Board of Directors, and also spent time as the Board’s Division I Representative. She has continued to be a featured instructor at numerous National Fastpitch Coaches College courses and national clinics around the country.

“The NFCA Board of Directors believed there was one clear choice to guide the organization during this transition, Carol Bruggeman,” NFCA Board of Directors President Rhonda Revelle said.

“Carol, as the NFCA’s first Associate Executive Director, and as a longtime NFCA Board Member, has an understanding of the inner workings of the Association, and has the leadership skills to keep us moving in a positive direction. We are so grateful that Carol accepted the Interim Executive Director position, and we look forward to serving alongside her on behalf of the NFCA.”

Bruggeman has also served as the color analyst for ESPN, Big Ten and SEC Network broadcasts. She also co-produced Level 1 and Level 2 instructional DVDs on softball-specific athlete development and has produced instructional DVDs focusing on baserunning and defense.

In July 2011, Bruggeman traveled to Australia as head coach of the college team that won a gold medal with USA-Athletes International and she traveled to the Czech Republic in 2009 in the same role.

During her career, Bruggeman has been a part of over 700 victories, and has had a hand in many conference titles and coached numerous NFCA All-Americans.

As an infielder at the University of Iowa, she was an All-Big Ten and All-Mideast Region selection, as well as an Academic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, who received Iowa’s Athletic Academic Medal of Honor. In 1997, Bruggeman was inducted into the Iowa Softball Association Hall of Fame.

A native of Charter Oak, Iowa, she received her bachelor’s degree in accounting and business from Iowa in 1987 and continued her education at Iowa, earning a master’s in athletic administration and coaching in 1990.