Margaret Yerdon-Grange
Head Softball Coach

​Margaret Yerdon-Grange was named the head softball coach in July of 2009 and is entering her twelfth year at the helm of the Rochester program in 2021.  Prior to her appointment, she was an assistant coach for five seasons.

Since taking the helm of the Rochester program, Yerdon-Grange has guided the Yellowjackets to nine straight 20+ win seasons, including a 32-win year in 2014 and a 35-win year in 2021.  In both of these seasons Rochester reached the NCAA Finals.  In her time, Rochester has made the Liberty League playoffs eleven times and qualified for NCAA postseason play in five seasons.

Yerdon-Grange has coached a total of three NFCA All-American's, with Brittany Grage earning the honor in 2015 following a 2014 season in which Nina Korn and Tayler Fravel earned the honor.   Grage and Korn were both 1st Team Selections, the only in the history of the program.
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Her overall record leading the Yellowjackets is 281-182, while her record in the Liberty League is a sparkling 101-34.

In her time as an assistant coach, Rochester posted an overall record of 144-68, made three consecutive NCAA playoff appearances, won four conference titles, and set single-season victory record for three straight seasons (28 in 2007, 32 in 2008, 33 in 2009).

Yerdon-Grange has been a part of the Coaching Staffs of the Year in the University Athletic Association in 2007 and in the Liberty League in 2007, 2009 and 2015.  In 2014 and 2021 Yerdon-Grange and staff were named the NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.

Since taking over in 2010, she has coached five Liberty League Players of the Year, three Pitchers of the Year, four Rookies of the Year.

Yerdon-Grange was a graduate assistant coach at Binghamton in 2003 while pursuing her master’s degree in Social Sciences with a concentration in Public Administration. She earned a BA in English and Sociology in 2001 from Binghamton.

She participated in BU’s transition from Division III (1997) to Division I status (in 2000) receiving accolades for her playing skills at every level. She was a Division II NFCA All-Region selection in 1999 plus the NECC All-Conference Pitcher of the Year in 1999 and 2000.

In 2002, she was named the America East All-Conference Designated Player. Yerdon was selected as the team MVP in 1999 and 2002. She is Binghamton’s career record holder in strikeouts (431) and earned run average (1.40).

She received a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies in May, 2009 from the Susan B. Anthony Institute of the University of Rochester. She is pursuing her PhD in Education with a Concentration in Educational Policy and Theory.
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Yerdon-Grange is an alumnus of Sandy Creek (N.Y.) High School. She was selected as one of the Top 100 North Country athletes by the Watertown Times in 2007.  She is also being inducted into the New York State High School Hall of Fame this year.

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Mary Karen Wheat
Assistant Coach

The University of Rochester softball team has added Mary Karen Wheat to its coaching staff for the 2020 season.
 
 The last four years Wheat has served as the assistant coach at RIT, primarily working with the hitters and pitchers.  In addition, she was the head coach at Brockport High School in 2015 and 2016, leading the Blue Devils to the 2015 Section V Championship game. Wheat was also the head coach at Red Jacket Central School, where she led the team to the 2010 Section V Championship, and two Section V Semifinal appearances (2009 and 2011).  Wheat has been giving private pitching instruction in the Rochester area for the last ten years.

A former standout pitcher at Brockport High School (1995-1998) and Binghamton University (1998-2003).  Wheat competed her first two years at Binghamton at the Division II level and the last two at the Division I level.  At Binghamton Wheat pitched 416 innings with a 1.81 ERA. 

Wheat graduated from Binghamton University in 2003 with a BA in Human Development.  She also holds a BS in History and is certified in Adolescent Education from SUNY Brockport.