One of the best pitchers in NCAA history is also one of the sport’s best pitching coaches. Lori Sippel is in her 34th year as a coach with the Nebraska softball program entering 2023. As part of the longest tenured coaching staff in Division I softball alongside Revelle and Miller, Sippel has been a part of 1,365 of Nebraska’s 1,542 all-time victories as either a player or a coach.
Sippel started as an assistant coach in 1990 and was elevated to associate head coach in 2003. Sippel has helped Nebraska set nearly every pitching record, while her pitchers have often played the leading role in the Huskers 21 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 33 years. Sippel also coaches the outfielders. Sippel has been a part of 16 conference championships and five Women’s College World Series teams as either a player or a coach.
Sippel started in the circle from 1985-88 and was a two-time All-American for Nebraska. The first Husker to have her jersey retired, Sippel was a member of the inaugural Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class. She was also named the 1988 Softball Academic All-American of the Year.
COACHING ACCOLADES
- Helped 13 Student-Athletes Earn 17 Academic All-America Honors
- Helped Produce Two Olympians
- Five-Time NFCA Midwest Region Staff of the Year (1998, 2002, 2013, 2014 & 2022)
- AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year (2002)
- Has Produced More All-Region Pitchers than Any Coach in the Midwest Region
- Coached 14 Pitchers to 29 All-Region Accolades
- Coached 13 Pitchers to 29 All-Conference Accolades
- Helped Produce Three All-American Pitchers
- Coached 12 Outfielders to 18 All-Region Accolades
- Coached 10 Outfielders to 13 First-Team All-Conference Accolades
- Helped Produce Two Outfielders Earn Three All-America Honors
- Helped Nebraska post an ERA lower than the national average in 23 of her 33 seasons, including 21 of the last 28 full seasons
- Has Helped Set More than 20 Pitching Records at Nebraska
- Huskers average a shutout almost once every five games during Sippel’s tenure, and Nebraska has allowed one run or less in 40 percent of its games since Sippel became the huskers’ pitching coach in 1990
- In the last 28 years when awards were given out, Nebraska’s pitchers have averaged at least one all-region (29) and all-conference (29) selection (awards were given out 27 of the last 28 years)
- 16 times Nebraska’s season ERA has been more than one run lower than the national average, while the Huskers’ average ERA is almost 1.00 lower than the national average during Sippel’s tenure
- In the last 24 full seasons, Sippel’s staff has posted an ERA under 2.00 14 times. During that time, Nebraska has ranked in the top 30 nationally in ERA 10 times, including two top-15 rankings in the past eight seasons
- Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee (Inaugural Class, 2015)
- International Softball Federation Hall of Fame Inductee (2005)
- Nebraska Softball Hall of Fame Inductee (1997)
- First Husker to Have Her Jersey Retired (No. 16 in 1995)
- Three-Time ASA All-American (1993, 1994 & 1995)
- Three-Time ASA National Champion (1993, 1994 & 1995)
- Member of Two Women’s College World Series Teams at Nebraska
- CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year (1988)
- Honda Award Nominee (1988)
- Two-Time Second-Team All-American (1986, 1987)
- One of only two Husker pitchers to be a two-time All-American
- Ended Her Career with 17 Individual Nebraska Records
- Lowest Career ERA (0.54)
- Most Career Saves (16)
- Most No-Hitters (6)
- Most Perfect Games (1)
- Most Complete Games (80)
- Most Innings Pitched in a Season (245.22/1988)
- Most Strikeouts in a Season (285/1988)
- Most Shutouts in a Season (14/1988)
- Most Complete Games in a Season (29/88)
- Highest Win Percentage in a Season (.870/1987)
- Lowest ERA in a Season (0.37/1986)
- 16-Year Member of Canadian National Team
- Coached Team Canada to a fourth-place finish at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
- Softball Canada Jersey Retired (1999)
- 1996 Olympian
- Softball Canada Hall of Fame Inductee (1993)