Rock Valley College Athletics

Darin Monroe is in his entering his 14th season as the head softball coach and 7th year as Athletic Director at Rock Valley College.

As an Athletic Director, Monroe was named the 2023 NACDA Athletic Director of the Year.  Monroe also serves on the NJCAA Board of Regents as a Region 4 Representative and is the Chair of the NJCAA Sports Governance Committee.  Monroe has also been a member of the NJCAA D2 Volleyball, D3 Women's Basketball and D3 Softball National Committees.  As a softball coach, Monroe has served in many capacities.  He was the NJCAA Coaches Association President from 2018-2022 and served on the NFCA Board of Directors during that time as well.  He has also served on the NFCA All-American, Awards and Events committees.  

As a coach, Monroe has led the Golden Eagles to unprecedented success including winning eight straight NJCAA DIII National Championships from 2014-2022 - the first NJCAA softball program to accomplish this feat. In 13 seasons, Monroe boasts a 565-123 (.821) overall record. Because of his success on the field, Monroe was inducted into the NJCAA Softball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2023, Region 4 Hall of Fame in 2023 and RVC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.  

On the softball diamond, Monroe has coached 36 NFCA/NJCAA All-Americans, 63 All-Region IV honors, 54 All-N4C honors, including seven N4C MVPs (Vivi Marquez, Amanda Blankenship, Olivia Fluehr, Breanna Crown and Kelli Riordan). Vivi Marquez was named the NFCA National Catcher of the Year in 2013 and 2015, Hannah Long won the award in 2017, Cara Alexander in 2019 and Jenna Green in 2021.  Marquez was awarded the NJCAA National Player of the Year in 2015, Olivia Fluehr in 2017, Madason Shaw in 2018 and Kelli Riordan in 2021.  He has coached the last seven 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, Kelsie Packard in 2017, Breanna Crown in 2018 and 2019 and Ashton Melaas in 2021. 

In the classroom, Monroe has tutored 95 NFCA Academic All-Americans in 13 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 13 straight years.  

Monroe and his staff have been awarded the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 and Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year in 2023.  Monroe has been awarded the N4C Coach of the Year in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2021, and Region 4 Coach of the Year in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.  He has won the National Championship Coach of the Tournament in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. 

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 holds Bachelor's Degrees in Management and Physical Education from Luther College (IA), as well as a Master's Degree in Organizational Management with an emphasis in Sport Management from Chadron State College (NE). He is also a member of the National Fast-pitch Coaches Association. He lives in Rockford with his wife Amanda, daughter Grace and sons Jamisen and Case. 

Darin Monroe Coaching Record at Rock Valley College