ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Northwestern softball head coach Shane Bouman, the winningest coach in program history, has resigned after eight seasons to pursue new coaching opportunities.
“We are incredibly grateful for the ways Shane poured his heart into Northwestern softball the past eight years,” said Vice President for Athletics Tony Hoops. “He elevated the program to new heights on the field but more importantly empowered young women to be dynamic leaders growing in their faith, relationships, and careers. We were blessed by his tremendous contributions and thank him for leaving the program in a great place for the future.”
Bouman held a .713 winning percentage while at Northwestern, winning 271 games and setting multiple program records. He pushed the program to new heights by winning the GPAC regular season and tournament titles three consecutive seasons (2023-25), earning NAIA Opening Round berths during each of those seasons. The Raiders set a program record with 50 wins in 2024, finishing 50-7. Bouman leaves Northwestern with a 271-108-1 record, and his more than 500 career victories span over two decades of collegiate coaching.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have had at Northwestern College over the past eight years. President Christy and ADs Earl Woudstra, Dr. Micah Parker and Tony Hoops have been tremendous supporters of Raider softball,” Bouman commented. “Together, we accomplished things this program has never done before: three consecutive GPAC regular season titles, back-to-back NAIA regional finals, a program-record 50 wins, and consistent national rankings. I am proud of what we have built here and even more proud of the young women who made it happen. Northwestern College will always be a special place for the Bouman family, and we look forward to watching this program continue to grow.”
While at Northwestern, Bouman coached five NAIA/NFCA All-Americans, seven NFCA All-Region selections, 38 All-GPAC honorees and 47 NAIA Scholar-Athletes. He was named GPAC Coach of the Year in each of the last three seasons (2023-25) while coaching the 2023 GPAC Player of the Year, Gwen Mikkelsen, and the 2025 GPAC Pitcher of the Year, Kate Kralik. Northwestern also reached No. 4 in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll on March 5, 2025, the highest national ranking ever achieved by a GPAC softball program.
Northwestern will conduct a national search for its next head softball coach.
