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Larry Niemeyer of Jefferson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) finished his career with over 2,000 career wins, making him the easy choice for MaxPreps' list of the Greatest High School Softball Coaches of All-Time from Each State, but what about the other states?

MaxPreps has compiled a list of every state's greatest softball coach. The choices are not necessarily based on all-time wins or most state championships, but could be. Also, no coaches were chosen from South Dakota or Wyoming, since those states do not sanction high school softball.
Greatest high school softball coach from each state

Alabama
Jim Brown, Hoover
Brown was the only softball coach in the state with over 1,000 career wins, finishing with a record of 1,186 and 319 in 24 seasons. His teams won five state championships and were runners-up three times.

Alaska
Dave Massey, Juneau-Douglas (Juneau)
Coached softball at some level for over 40 years in Juneau, winning multiple state championships with the Crimson Bears.

Arkansas
Debbie Clark, Bryant, Wynne
Won four state championships during her tenure at Bryant and Wynne, including three straight with the Hornets from 2010-12.

Arizona
Jerry Mullin, Seton Catholic (Chandler)
His teams were undefeated in state championship games, winning four in a row from 1996-1999, four in a row again from 2002-2005 and back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.

California
Jim Liggett, Carlmont (Belmont)
Liggett coached 41 years at Carlmont, winning 1,009 games and collecting eight Central Coast Section championships (California does not hold state championships in softball).

Colorado
Bob Bledsoe, Erie
Bledsoe has nearly double the state championships of any other coach in the state, collecting 11 state titles while at Erie. His teams posted a record of 405-87 in his 20 seasons as coach.

Connecticut
John Bores, Southington
Bores took over for longtime coach Joe Piazza and kept the Southington powerhouse program running strong. He won a pair of championships while appearing in five title games. His teams went 256-27 in 12 seasons.

Delaware
Steve Baker, Caravel (Bear)
Baker's teams were 203-65 in his 14 seasons. They advanced to the state tournament 12 times, winning a state record four championships.

Florida
Robert Iamurri, Naples
He holds numerous state coaching records, including career wins with 817, state championships with 12 and state tournament wins with 73.

Georgia
Tony Wolfe, Buford
He recently announced his retirement after 14 seasons as head coach. He won 10 state championships, all of them consecutively, while finishing with a record of 429-78-2.

Hawaii
Howard Okita, Kailua
Before a long coaching career in the college ranks, Okita spent nine seasons at Kailua, winning six state titles and posting a record of 181-24.

Idaho
Wes Worrell, Bishop Kelly (Boise)
No coach has won more state titles in Idaho than Worrell, who has eight total. He won three in a row at the 3A level from 1997-99 and three more in a row at the 4A level from 2005-07.

Illinois
Randy Wolken, St. Joseph-Ogden (St. Joseph)
No coach in Illinois had more wins than Wolken, who collected 1,043 victories during a 39-year career. He won a state championship in 2006.

Indiana
Russ Milligan, Center Grove (Greenwood)
The Indiana High School Softball Hall of Fame coach won five state championships during his tenure at Center Grove. He had a career record of 741-95 in 27 years. Tragically, Milligan died due to complications of COVID-19 in February.

Iowa
Larry Niemeyer, Jefferson (Cedar Rapids)
The nation's all-time winningest coach in a single sport, Niemeyer had a record of 2,089-429 with state titles in 1983, 1997 and 1998 while at Jefferson. He also won a fall state championship while at Adel in 1970.

Kansas
Jeff Hulse, Olathe East (Olathe)
Named the national coach of the year in 2013, Hulse won state championships in 1998, 2001, 2004-2007, 2012 and 2013. He retired in 2015 with a career record of 346-32.

Kentucky
George Randolph, Owensboro Catholic (Owensboro)
He retired in 2017 with the most all-time wins in Kentucky at 678. He also holds the record for most state championships with five in his 22 years at Owensboro Catholic.

Louisiana
Gerald Albert, Vandebilt Catholic (Houma), Bourgeois (Gray)
Albert's teams at Vandebilt Catholic and Bourgeois went 490-78, including 185-11 at Vandebilt Catholic. He guided Vandebilt to a 112-game win streak, a national record, and five state championships. He's also won a state title Bourgeois.

Maine
Tom Griffin, Scarborough
In 30 years as the head softball coach, Griffin has won 12 SMAA conference championships and eight state championships, with the most recent coming in 2019.

Maryland
Robert Earl Radford, Northern (Owings)
Although he only coached 12 seasons at Northern, Radford posted a record of 227-43-1 while winning eight state championships.

Massachusetts
Gary Mullins, Turners Falls (Montague)
Mullins went over 700 career wins during the 2019 season and he has over 1,000 career wins in multiple sports. His softball teams have won 20 Western Massachusetts championships and a state record nine state championships.

Michigan
Diane Laffey, Regina (Warren)
Laffey is the all-time wins leader in Michigan with 1,212 prior to the 2021 season. Her teams won four straight titles from 2004-07 as well as 1989, 2015 and 2019.

Minnesota
Bob Mertz, New Ulm Cathedral (New Ulm)
The award for lifetime achievement in Minnesota girls softball is named after Mertz, who had a state record of 802 wins with 141 losses. His teams won seven state titles, 26 conference titles and 16 section crowns in his 39 seasons.

Mississippi
Trae Embry, Neshoba Central (Philadelphia)
Embry had a fastpitch record of 427-72 and a slowpitch coaching record of 413-104. He has won a combined 20 state championships, including seven fastpitch titles and eight slowpitch crowns at Neshoba Central.

Missouri
Jill Angel, Centralia
Angel has won a state record four state championships and had a record of 355-123-1. Her teams won three straight state titles from 2011-13.

Montana
Kirk Thomas, Billings Senior
In 11 seasons at Billings, Thomas had a record of 217-53 with seven state championships, including three in a row from 1986-88.
Nebraska
Todd Petersen, Papillion-LaVista (Papillion)
Petersen's club has won a state record 72 games in a row and counting. He has led the program to five state championships. His team went 36-0 in 2020 and never trailed at any point during the season.

Nevada
Mike Sparrow, Pahranagat Valley (Alamo)
Picked up his 500th career win earlier this season while leading his team to the Southern 1A championship game. Sparrow's teams have won a state record 10 state championships.

New Hampshire
Harold Sachs, Salem
Sachs won 15 state championships at Salem and posted a record of 611-88 in 32 seasons as head coach.

New Jersey
Jeff Horohonich, Immaculate Conception (Lodi)
In 16 seasons, Horohonich posted a record of 379-85 with 13 state sectional championships and seven Parochial A championships.

New Mexico
John Tigert, Carlsbad
In his first two stints as the Carlsbad coach, Tigert won 11 state championships and posted a record of 496-84.

New York
Jim McGowan, Bay Shore
In 30 seasons at Bay Shore, McGowan went 609-88 with six state championships and 23 league titles. His team also won 55 in a row from 1994 to 1996.

North Carolina
Monte Sherrill, Alexander Central (Taylorsville)
In 26 seasons, 22 at Alexander Central, Sherrill won 10 Class 4A state championships, 26 conference championships and posted a record of 753-60. His teams also had a 95-game win streak.

North Dakota
Pat Johnson, West Fargo
Johnson has won 21 state championships in North Dakota (nine of them sanctioned by the state association), including 20 in a row from 1998-2017.

Ohio
Bud Weisgarber, Strasburg-Franklin (Strasburg)
With a record of 787-171, Weisgarber has won 150 more games than the No. 2 coach on the list in Ohio. He also has eight state championships in his 35-year career.

Oklahoma
Gary Cook, Davenport
Over a seven-plus year period, Cook won 10 state fastpitch and slowpitch championships at Davenport. He won eight in a row, including the final one in the fall of 2003, just seven weeks before he passed away from cancer. He won over 600 games in his career.

Oregon
Jerry Stidham, Putnam (Milwaukie)
In 25 seasons at Putnam, Stidham had a record of 512-103 with back-to-back state titles in 1988 and 1989 and another in 1995.

Pennsylvania
David Homa, Minersville
Won 308 games in 16 seasons at Minersville and won four state championships. He was also an assistant coach for four others.

Rhode Island
Paul Rizzo, North Providence
He's coached multiple sports while at North Providence and coached the softball team from 1991 to 2004, winning three state championships and finishing second four times.

South Carolina
Gary Adams, Crescent (Iva)
Coached 43 seasons at Crescent, winning 1,043 games and losing 169. His teams won 33 region championships and 19 state championships, including 11 in a row from 1987 to 1997.

Tennessee
Don Freudenthal, Ezell-Harding Christian (Antioch)
In 30 seasons, Freudenthal won 809 games, a state record, and captured 13 state championships. In the 15 years between 1987 and 2001, Freudenthal's teams advanced to the state title game every year and won 12 times.

Texas
Guyla Smith, West
With a record of 713-216-5, Smith has nearly 100 more wins than the No. 2 coach in the state. She also won a state championship in 2016.

Utah
Calvin Bingham, Bear River (Garland)
Bingham picked up his 10th state championship this year and upped his career wins total to 453, which ranks second in state history. He won five straight state championships from 2008-12.

Vermont
Darrell Sawyer, Brattleboro
Sawyer built the Brattleboro softball program from the ground up, winning five state championships and finishing second seven times.

Virginia
Marie Crump, Powhatan
With close to 750 career wins, Crump has nearly 200 more wins the second place coach on the state softball wins list. She also have five state championships to her credit.

Washington
Pat Pace, Montesano
Although Pace coaches at a 1A school, it's hard to deny his success. He has a record of 527-150 with 10 state championships, including the latest one in 2019.

West Virginia
Rick Magruder, Wheeling Central Catholic
Magruder won six state championships in 18 years, including a 33-0 season in 2016 when he was named the MaxPreps Small School National Coach of the Year.

Wisconsin
Tom Drohner, Stevens Point
Drohner has a record of 528-83 in 23 seasons at Stevens Point. His teams have won eight state championships, including four in a row from 2001-04.

According to Sports Illustrated, the Athens School District decided to rename the stadium after Burrow's heartfelt Heisman Trophy acceptance speech in which he named the school district.

Burrow's star continued to rise following the renaming as he led LSU to the national championship in January and was selected No. 1 in the NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals in April.

Joe Burrow Stadium is one of 10 stadiums and football fields featured in our Google Earth series, which takes a new view of gridirons named after NFL players. See the full list below.

Joe Burrow Stadium: The stadium is where Burrow threw for 11,416 yards in a career in which he earned all-state honors. Tony Romo Field: The latest field to be renamed at Burlington (Wis.), Tony Romo Field is located at Don Dalton Stadium. Dalton was Romo's coach at Burlington during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Joe Montana Stadium: Before leading the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl championships, Montana was an all-state quarterback at Ringgold (Monongahela, Pa.). John Elway Stadium: Elway was an All-American during his final two seasons at Granada Hills Charter (Granada Hills, Calif.) after transferring from Washington. The stadium seats 4,000 people and is located in the San Fernando Valley. Emmitt Smith Field: The NFL's all-time leading rusher got his start at Escambia (Pensacola, Fla.), where he rushed for 8,804 yards and was named All-American. Ronnie Lott Stadium: A native of New Mexico, Lott moved to Rialto, Calif., at a young age and attended Eisenhower. The school renamed the stadium in honor of the Hall of Famer safety in 2009. Walter Payton Field: While Walter Payton College Prep High School can be found in Chicago, where he played his entire NFL career, Walter Payton Field is found at his high school alma mater in Columbia (Miss.). Tony Dorsett Stadium: The all-time leading rusher in NCAA history by the time he finished his college career at Pitt, Dorsett began his career at Hopewell (Aliquippa, Pa.), where he was one of the top recruits in the country in 1973. Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium: While many NFL players have come from St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), the stadium is named after a former Raider who was the subject of Emmy-winning movie "Brian's Song." Piccolo played for the Chicago Bears and died from cancer in 1970. Actor James Caan played the role of Piccolo in the 1971 TV movie. Brady Family Stadium: The stadium at Serra (San Mateo, Calif.) is named not just for NFL quarterback Tom Brady, but for his family, as Brady requested. The stadium was renamed for the Brady family in 2012.

Each year since 2006, MaxPreps has recognized outstanding performers in high school football. America's source for high school sports continues the tradition to close out the 2020 season by naming the top player in each state. Selections are based on team success and individual excellence, in addition to local and state accolades.

The NFL Draft is set for tonight in Cleveland, Ohio, with 32 NFL teams prepared to choose from among the nation's best college players. But what if they were able to choose high school players?

Baseball, hockey and basketball professional leagues have all drafted players right out of high school while the NFL requires a player to be three years removed from his graduating class. Opponents of drafting players out of high school into the NFL site maturity level, physical strength and quickness and knowledge of the game as reasons why prep players just aren't ready.

However, there are always those precocious players mature beyond their years who possess the size, strength and speed to compete at the professional level. The emergence of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence as a "once-in-a-generation talent" leads those to wonder if Lawrence might have been a first-round pick right out of high school.

MaxPreps takes a look at 10 players, including Lawrence, who were "once-in-a-generation talents" in their own day. Not all of them succeeded in the NFL while others have gone on to be Hall of Famers. The argument here is that all 10 were phenoms coming out of high school and highly likely that some NFL general manager would have been willing to take a first-round gamble on their potential.
10 NFL-ready players out of high school

Trevor Lawrence, Cartersville (Ga.), 2017
Resume: The presumptive first pick in this year's draft has been the nation's most coveted quarterback since his freshman year at Cartersville. The No. 1 ranked quarterback in his class throughout his high school career, he's been labeled by some scouts as the greatest quarterback prospect of all-time, along with Hall of Famer John Elway. He became a starter early in his freshman season at Clemson and led the Tigers to a national championship.
Why he would be drafted: At 6-foot-6 and and 208 pounds, Lawrence definitely had the size that NFL scouts like to see in a quarterback. However, he also has arm strength, quickness, maneuverability in the pocket, and passing instincts that make him a once in a generation playcaller.

Herschel Walker, Johnson County (Wrightsville, Ga.), 1979
Resume: He was the biggest thing to ever happen in Wrightsville (Ga.) in 1979. Colleges from all over the country came to the small town of 2,000 people to watch Walker practice. He rushed for 3,167 yards and 45 touchdowns as a senior, a rushing record that lasted for 21 years. He was a Heisman Trophy candidate as a true freshman after rushing for 1,616 yards. He left Georgia after his junior year to play football in the USFL and eventually played 12 seasons in the NFL.
Why would he be drafted: Very few running backs coming out of high school have ever had the total package that Walker presented. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, he was big for a halfback. However, he was also the fastest player on the field — he won the 100 and 200-yard dashes at the state meet — and one of the strongest, he was a state shot put champion as well.

Jadeveon Clowney, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), 2011
Resume: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Clowney had strong credentials as a edge rusher coming out of high school. He had 69.5 sacks in his three years on the varsity, including 29.5 as a senior when he was regarded as the nation's No. 1 overall recruit regardless of position. He was a two-time All-American in college at South Carolina, starting as a freshman and essentially recognized as college football's best defensive player by his sophomore season. He's a three-time Pro Bowler in the NFL.
Why would he be drafted: Clowney was not only viewed as the top player in the class of 2014, but that he would have been the top player in many other classes as well. At 6-5, 250 pounds, he'd already developed into a player capable of playing at a much higher level.

Adrian Peterson, Palestine (Texas), 2003
Resume: One of the more recent players who could have made the jump, Peterson was the national player of the year while running for 2,950 yards as a senior in 2003. The following year as a true freshman, Peterson finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting after rushing for 1,925 yards. He has since gone on to become the fifth all-time leading rusher in NFL history.
Why would he be drafted: Peterson has given several interviews to ESPN, noting that he felt he was capable of making the jump from high school to the pros. According to an article by Len Pasquarelli in 2007, Peterson is often named by talent evaluators as the player who most capable of making the jump.

Marcus Dupree, Philadelphia (Miss.), 1981
Resume: The most prized high school prospect in the nation in 1981, Dupree scored on his very first possession as a freshman and finished his career with 87 touchdowns. When he arrived on campus at Oklahoma, head coach Barry Switzer reportedly said, "He was the best player on the field ... physically ready, as a true freshman, to be the best player on a great college team. Maybe even ready for the NFL at that age." Dupree came through as a freshman, rushing for 1,144 yards and earning second team All-America honors. However, he left Oklahoma after his freshman year and ended up playing the USFL at the age of 19. After a brief stint with the Los Angeles Rams, Dupree was out of the NFL due to injuries.
Why would he be drafted: Dupree was 210 pounds as a freshman in high school, eventually growing to 235 pounds. He also had sprinter speed, reportedly posting a 4.29 40-yard dash.

Andy Katzenmoyer, Westerville South (Westerville, Ohio), 1995
Resume: A 6-foot-5, 240-pound linebacker in high school, Katzenmoyer devastated opponents with his speed and instincts. He was named the best player, not just linebacker, in the Detroit Free Press's Best in the Midwest rankings. USA Today named him National Defensive Player of the Year. He was Mr. Football in Ohio. He was also the top linebacker on the Parade Magazine All-America team. As a true freshman at Ohio State, he beat out a Butkus Award finalist from the year before, Greg Bellisari, at middle linebacker and set school records for sacks and tackles for loss while earning All-Big Ten honors. Ohio State had the nation's top passing defense with Katzenmoyer leading the way.
Why would he be drafted: Speed, instinct and tackling ability were Katzenmoyer's trademarks (his coach at Westerville South held him out of tackling drills to prevent other players from getting hurt, according to the Detroit Free Press). A neck injury as a rookie brought a premature end to his career.

Cookie Gilchrist, Har-Brack (Natrona Heights, Pa.), 1953
Resume: Gilchrist was the top player in Pennsylvania in 1953. Just a junior, Gilchrist was one of the leading scorers in the state with 184 points on 24 touchdowns and 42 extra points. He earned all-state honors, receiving the most votes on the team. The problem for Gilchrist, however, is that he was ineligible to play as a senior. WPIAL rules prevented any senior who turned 19 prior to Sept. 1 from playing. Gilchrist turned 19 in May of his junior year. Fortune found Gilchrist in the form of Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown, who signed Gilchrist to a contract. However a disagreement led to Gilchrist leaving the Browns. He did play in the Ontario Rugby Union (a precursor to the Canadian Football League) as a 19-year-old. He later played in the AFL and was the AFL MVP in 1962.
Why would he be drafted: Obviously talented enough to gain the attention of Paul Brown, who had coached the Browns to an 11-1 record and a runner-up finish to Detroit in the NFL championship game.

Orlando Pace, Sandusky (Ohio), 1993
Resume: Pace was bigger than most professional offensive linemen when he was still in high school. At 6-foot-8, 320 pounds, Pace was the state lineman of the year as a senior while also earning All-America honors. He became one of just two Buckeyes to ever start as a true freshmen. He is the only two-time winner of the Lombardi Award, winning it as a 20-year old sophomore. He's in the NFL and College Halls of Fame.
Why would he be drafted: Size alone would have made Pace a tempting pick. He's one of the largest players ever selected to the Hall of Fame. However, he was also characterized as being very athletic for a player his size. It was those attributes that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft.

Bill Fralic, Penn Hills (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 1980
Resume: A four-year starter at Penn Hills, Fralic helped his team win three WPIAL championships. As a senior, he earned the Dial National Athlete of the Year Award, which had been given the previous year to Herschel Walker. A two-way lineman, Fralic had 15 sacks as a senior, but he found his way into the starting lineup at Pittsburgh as a college freshman. He eventually earned consensus All-America honors twice and was twice a top 10 finisher in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was a four-time Pro Bowl player in the NFL with the Falcons.
Why would he be drafted: Fralic's versatility would have been a huge bonus as he was able to play on both the offensive and defensive lines as well as tight end. He dominated high school opponents with his quickness and strength.

Bronko Nagurski, Bemidji (Minn.), 1926
Resume: More legendary stories have been told about Nagurski than probably any NFL player in history. Noted for his incredible strength, speed and agility, Nagurski was a powerful runner on offense, but also strong enough to play offensive tackle. He ran the 100-yard dash in 10.2 seconds and reportedly had a 19.5 inch ring size — the largest of any NFL Hall of Fame member. He reportedly could have played any position on the field during the 1930s, including quarterback. He threw several touchdown passes in leading the Bears to two world championships.
Why would he be drafted: At 6-2, 220 pounds, Nagurski was bigger than over half of the linemen on the Chicago Bears when he joined them. His natural strength made him such a valuable player at the University of Minnesota and later with the Bears.