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Brian Wolverton has been named as the new head softball coach at
Rutgers-Camden, stepping into the role vacated when long-time Head Coach
Carl Taylor resigned in early August. Wolverton spent the last two
softball seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Rutgers
University-Camden, beginning with the program’s run to the NCAA Division
III national title in 2006. Now the long-time head coach at Northern
Burlington Regional High School will begin his collegiate head coaching
career with the Lady Raptors.
"I am truly grateful for the opportunity to take over such a
well-established and successful program,” Wolverton said. “Coach Taylor
has built a tradition of success that will be difficult to match. I have
learned much from him over these past two years and look forward to the
challenge of continuing what he has started.”
Wolverton is no stranger to coaching success. He was part of the
Rutgers-Camden staff that earned honors from the National Fastpitch
Coaches Association as the Speedline/NFCA Division III National Coaching
Staff of the Year in 2006. On the scholastic level, he has been the head
coach of the
Northern Burlington girls’ varsity team since 1997, compiling a 193-71
record, including Burlington County League Liberty Division titles in
2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005. His team won both the South Jersey and state
Group 2 titles in 2002, and captured the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional
title in 2005. During both of those seasons he received honors as the
area’s Softball Coach of the Year, being cited in 2002 by the
Trentonian, the Burlington County Times and the Philadelphia
Inquirer, and earning the honor from the Trenton Times in 2005.
Wolverton has placed over 30 players in college programs, including nine
at Division I schools, and has coached numerous All-County, All-Area and
All-South Jersey players. Eleven of his players were named to various
All-State teams.
From 2005-07, Wolverton served as the head coach of the Burlington County
team in the Carpenter Cup, the annual tournament sponsored by the
Philadelphia Phillies. He coached the South Jersey Senior All-Star team in
2002, 2005 and 2007.
Wolverton, who also has coached field hockey, football, basketball and
track, teams with Mike Medrick to run the “Play Like a Champ” softball
camp at Cherokee and
Northern
Burlington
High Schools.
The annual camp has been serving South Jersey youth softball players for
over 20 years.
Wolverton was a Math Education major who graduated from Trenton State
College (now known as The College of New Jersey) in 1995. In addition to
coaching at
Northern Burlington, he is a teacher of Mathematics and Computer
Programming at the school. He was named Northern Burlington’s Teacher of
the Year in both 2002 and 2004, and has served as the Department
Chairperson for the Business, Practical Arts and Mathematics Departments
since 2000.
“The idea of joining the athletic department at Rutgers-Camden is truly a
dream come true,” he said. “I will do everything in my power to make sure
that Rutgers Softball has continued success not only on the field, but in
the classroom and community as well.”
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