Ashland Head Softball Coach Sheilah Gulas to be Honored by Akron Racers

Ashland Head Softball Coach Sheilah Gulas to be Honored by Akron Racers

Release courtesy of Al King, Assistant Athletic Director, Media Relations, Ashland University

ASHLAND, Ohio - Ashland University head softball coach Sheilah Gulas will be honored by the Akron Racers softball team on Saturday, June 23, at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio.

Gulas is one of 40 special guests of the professional softball team who will be honored prior to the 7:05 game between Racers and the Chicago Bandits.  The ceremony will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. and will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX.

Gulas has been a college head coach for 25 years. Her overall record is 772-393.  At Ashland, Gulas is 569-269 in 16 years.  Gulas has guided the Eagles to the NCAA playoffs nine times.  She has won 40 or more games in a season five times, won 30 or more games in a season 10 times and has guided the Eagles to five GLIAC regular season titles and three GLIAC Tournament championships. 

Ashland has advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs for four consecutive years. In 2012, the Eagles finished 42-17, 23-9 in conference play.

Former Ashland University catcher Alicia Longstreth Gaffney will also be recognized by the Racers.  She is one of the most successful players in AU history. A catcher, she was a second team All-American and a two-time GTE/Verizon Academic All-American. Gaffney is currently the Associate Director for Athletics, Special Events and Special Projects at Kent State.

Current Kent State softball coach Karen Linder is among the 40 honorees, too. Linder coached softball at AU from 1986-1996.  She led the Eagles to the first NCAA Division II postseason berth in school history (1996). Linder went 253-200-1 in the Ashland dugout.