Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics
October 23, 2026 | Softball
RENO, Nev. - This weekend, Nevada Athletics will be inducting their 2026 Hall of Fame Class. Among this year's class, which includes one team and five student-athletes, is the 2008 Nevada Softball team, which was led by now Bowling Green head softball coach Michelle Gardner.
Gardner's 2008 Nevada team went 44-18 overall while finishing 16-2 in WAC play to capture a WAC regular season title while the 44 wins marked a still-standing program record. The Wolfpack earned a bid to the UCLA Regional, going 2-2 while reaching the regional title game with both losses coming to regional-host and No. 3-seeded UCLA.
At the conclusion of the season, Gardner was named the NFCA West Region Coach of the Year as well as the WAC Coach of the Year. The team tallied eight wins over Top-25 teams, including a historic 1-0 victory over No. 1 Arizona, one of two No. 1-ranked opponents on the year for Nevada.
Gardner mentored Vanessa Briones, who went on to be named the WAC Player of the Year. Briones was one of six members of the Wolfpack to earn All-WAC First Team while Noelle Micka was named to the NFCA All-America Second Team. Additionally, three players were named to the NFCA All-Region Team.
At the conclusion of the season, Gardner's Nevada team set program records in batting average (.3115), runs (310), hits (529), doubles (101), home runs (43), RBIs (290), total bases (779), walks (182), slugging (.459), on-base percentage (.388), stolen bases (56).
Gardner is now entering her third season at the helm of the Falcons. Bowling Green has improved upon the previous year's win total in each season under Gardner. Gardner, who has a wealth of coaching experience, returned to the school where her coaching career began in 1992, and where she was part of a coaching staff that guided the 1993 Falcons to a Mid-American Conference championship. On Feb. 12, 2026, Gardner reached a milestone, picking up the 400th victory of her head-coaching career as the Falcons topped Furman, 17-8.
Gardner's 2008 Nevada team went 44-18 overall while finishing 16-2 in WAC play to capture a WAC regular season title while the 44 wins marked a still-standing program record. The Wolfpack earned a bid to the UCLA Regional, going 2-2 while reaching the regional title game with both losses coming to regional-host and No. 3-seeded UCLA.
At the conclusion of the season, Gardner was named the NFCA West Region Coach of the Year as well as the WAC Coach of the Year. The team tallied eight wins over Top-25 teams, including a historic 1-0 victory over No. 1 Arizona, one of two No. 1-ranked opponents on the year for Nevada.
Gardner mentored Vanessa Briones, who went on to be named the WAC Player of the Year. Briones was one of six members of the Wolfpack to earn All-WAC First Team while Noelle Micka was named to the NFCA All-America Second Team. Additionally, three players were named to the NFCA All-Region Team.
At the conclusion of the season, Gardner's Nevada team set program records in batting average (.3115), runs (310), hits (529), doubles (101), home runs (43), RBIs (290), total bases (779), walks (182), slugging (.459), on-base percentage (.388), stolen bases (56).
Gardner is now entering her third season at the helm of the Falcons. Bowling Green has improved upon the previous year's win total in each season under Gardner. Gardner, who has a wealth of coaching experience, returned to the school where her coaching career began in 1992, and where she was part of a coaching staff that guided the 1993 Falcons to a Mid-American Conference championship. On Feb. 12, 2026, Gardner reached a milestone, picking up the 400th victory of her head-coaching career as the Falcons topped Furman, 17-8.
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