THE ELITE EIGHTIES

It’s unclear whether this 1980s softball jersey belonged to Dr. JoAnne Graf, but with “coach” ironed on the nameplate, it’s certainly possible. An alumna of FSU, Dr. Graf returned to Tallahassee in 1979 to coach the softball team. Under her leadership, the Seminoles emerged as a dominant slow-pitch team, winning the AIAW National Championship back-to-back in 1981 and 1982. The program switched to fast-pitch in 1984 after joining the NCAA, which did not sanction slow-pitch softball. But the transition was no problem for Dr. Graf’s Noles. FSU made their first NCAA Regional appearance in 1986 then reached the NCAA Women’s College World Series in 1987. In all, the Seminoles posted winning records each year in that decade, including four 50-win seasons. Dr. Graf’s success in the 1980s paved the way for more greatness to come.