The passion for softball Jen Banford displayed as an all-conference collegiate player certainly has carried over into her role as an head coach. In just two short years, Banford's hard work, commitment and dedication has helped put the Bulldog program firmly back on the NCAA Division II radar. Last spring, UMD rolled up a 31-23 record and placed second in the North Central Conference Tournament en route to securing a berth in the NCAA II North Central Regionals -- its third ever and first since 2002. One year earlier, the Bulldogs, despite a roster which was void of any seniors and sported a mere three juniors, still managed to go 25-20. That gives Banford a 56-43 career record heading into the 2008 season.

Banford, who, at age 27 (she was born on 11/29/80), is the youngest member of the UMD head coaching staff, joined the Bulldogs in the summer of 2006 following a one-season stint as the interim head coach at Mayville State University. Banford piloted the Comets to a 26-16 mark in all games -- for their best winning percentage (.619) ever -- and a 11-9 mark in the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC-10). In addition, Mayville State, an NAIA institution located in Mayville, N.D., also set team marks for batting average and home runs and one of Banford’s players (Chantal Erickson) became the school’s first softball All-American honoree (NAIA honorable mention). Besides serving as a head coach, Banford was also a lecturer in Mayville State’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Banford spent the 2003-04 season at Northern State University, where she was graduate assistant coach with the softball Wolves. She entered the coaching arena fresh off a four-year career as a standout catcher at Valley City State (N.D.). During her Viking playing days she attained All-DAC 10 softball honors in 2001, and, two years later, was named to the DAC-10 All-Tournament Team as a senior team captain.

Banford, who was a multi-sport athlete (volleyball, softball, hockey, and basketball) at Seaway District High School in Iroquois, Ontario, graduated from Valley City State in 2003 with a B.S. degree in physical education and completed her Master of Science degree in health, nutrition and exercise science (with an emphasis in sport pedagogy) at North Dakota State University two years ago.