Patty Stockman (1988) - Hall of Fame

Patty Stockman

Induction:
1988
Class:
1977

Patricia "Patty" Marie Stockman is regarded by some as the best pitcher in Iowa women's softball history, and her accomplishments at UNI certainly add to that distinction.

A native of Oxford, Iowa, she graduated from Clear Creek High School where she led her softball team to two state titles in the fall of 1972 and summer of 1973. She received all-state honors in softball, track and basketball. She was named to the state softball all-tournament team twice, all conference team in basketball four times and captained the softball, basketball and track teams her senior year. She pitched in every high school game, compiling an 83-15 record.

From 1973-77, she attended UNI, playing both softball and basketball, but she is best known for her pitching. She led the Panthers to three state IAIAW titles and three Women's College World Series tournaments, finishing second in 1975, in the top six in 1976, and winning it all in 1977. In 1976, she was 13-1 overall, struck out 120 batters and walked just 10 of in 95 innings pitched. In the 1977 Women's College World Series, she pitched a total of 31 innings and allowed just one hit. Her college career record was 60-5.

Stockman spent her summers pitching for Langhurst of the ASA and earned All-America honors once. She was approached by a semi-pro team in 1976 to replace Joan Joyce, considered by many to be the best female pitcher in the country that year. After graduating in 1977, she spent the next three years playing for the Buffalo (N.Y.) Breskis of the Women's Professional Softball League. In 1979, she became the head softball, girls' basketball and track coach at Crestwood High School in Cresco, Iowa. She coached softball for six years (through 1983), guiding the program to a 40-22 record.

After leaving Cresco, she returned to school to get her master's in athletic administration at the University of Iowa, where she was an assistant coach for the Hawkeyes. Stockman was inducted into the Iowa Girls Softball Hall of Fame in 1982.