Darin Monroe is in his sixth season as the head softball coach at Rock Valley College.
Monroe has led the Golden Eagles to unprecedented success including winning three straight NJCAA DIII National Championships, just the second program to ever win three straight. In five seasons, Monroe boasts a 205-51 (.801) overall record which also includes four consecutive N4C conference championships.
On the softball diamond, Monroe has coached 11 Rock Valley student-athletes to 16 NFCA All-America honors, 19 players to 25 All-Region IV honors, coached 24 RVC athletes to 31 All-N4C honors, including four N4C MVPs (Vivi Marquez, Amanda Blankeship and Olivia Fluehr). Vivi Marquez was named the NFCA National Catcher of the Year in 2013 and 2015, and was awarded the NJCAA National Player of the Year in 2015. He has coached the last three National Pitcher of the Year recipients with Amanda Blankenship in 2014, and Morgan Adolph was the first ever to win it in back-to-back years in 2015 and 2016.Â
In the classroom, Monroe has tutored 17 NFCA Academic All-Americans in five years. His teams have been recognized by both the NFCA and NJCAA for their Academic Achievement for having a team GPA above 3.0 for the 2012-2013, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years.
Monroe and his staff have been awarded the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Monroe has been awarded the N4C Coach of the Year in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, and Region IV Coach of the Year in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. he has won the National Championship Coach of the Tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016 as well.
Monroe grew up in Ossian, Iowa, where he was a four-sport athlete in cross-country, wrestling, track, and baseball at South Winneshiek High School in Calmar, Iowa. He was a state participant in track and cross country, and a two-time district qualifier in wrestling. In baseball, he was an all-conference catcher, and was named his team's Most Valuable Defensive Player in his junior and senior seasons.
Monroe went on to play college baseball for Luther College, a NCAA Division III College in Decorah, Iowa. While at Luther, he also became heavily involved in coaching as he was an assistant varsity baseball and softball coach, assistant varsity wrestling coach, and junior high football coach at his alma mater.
After college, Monroe accepted a position to become an assistant softball coach at Southwestern Community College, a Division II junior college in Creston, Iowa. While at Southwestern, he helped his team set a school record for wins in a season (24) and helped recruit the team's largest recruiting class in school history (18), which was headlined by five all-state players.
Monroe is currently working on his Master's degree in Organizational Management with an emphasis in Sports Management through Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. He is also a member of the National Fast-pitch Coaches Association. He lives in Rockford with his wife Amanda and daughter Grace.
Darin Monroe Coaching Record at Rock Valley College
| Year |
W |
L |
PCT. |
Post Season |
| 2016 |
49 |
9 |
0.845 |
Region IV Champions, N4C Champions, NJCAA DIII National Champions |
| 2015 |
52 |
5 |
0.912 |
Region IV Champions, N4C Champions, NJCAA DIII National Champions |
| 2014 |
42 |
9 |
0.824 |
Region IV Champions, N4C Champions, NJCAA DIII National Champions |
| 2013 |
32 |
12 |
0.727 |
Region IV Champions, N4C Champions, NJCAA DIII National Tournament 6th place |
| 2012 |
30 |
16 |
0.652 |
Region IV Runner Up |
| Totals |
205 |
51 |
0.801 |
|
