Capital University

Since stepping on campus in 1999, Nan Payne has placed the Capital University softball team among the elite programs not only in the Ohio Athletic Conference but the entire region. The Crusaders have won 20 or more games in 18 of Payne's 20 seasons as head coach, and have advanced to the NCAA Division III behind 30-win season twice.

Over the course of Payne’s coaching career at Capital, eight All-America awards have come to Bexley, including three multiple-time honorees. Three of her student-athletes have been crowned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America, including First Team All-American Devan Boggs ’13. Payne and her teams have twice won the OAC regular season championship (2002, 2013), which led to the team’s entry into the national tournament.

Payne is just 21 wins away from hitting the 500 mark in her career heading into the 2019 season. She won her 400^th contest early in the 2015 season when the Purple and White defeated Alma College (Mich.), 5-4, during its annual spring break trip. Over the course of her 19-year career, her teams have averaged just over 24 wins per season.

In 2015, Capital finished the regular season with a record of 28-14, marking the fourth season with 28+ wins under Payne’s tenure. Payne saw many of her players earn individual awards in 2015, headlined by LeAnna Cotton claiming All-American status. Three others joined Cotton on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region teams, and a total of six Crusaders were named to the All-OAC teams. Payne’s players continue to shine in the classroom as well, as four softball players earned Academic All-OAC honors.

In the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Capital had earned eight All-OAC selections, three all-region accolades and four Academic All-OAC honors. The team finished among conference and national leaders in home runs in both seasons.

Payne and the Crusaders proved their elite status in 2013, winning the OAC regular season championship, earning the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament Angola (Ind.) Regional and setting a school record with 35 victories. Capital also hosted the OAC Tournament for the first time in school history and received votes in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top-25 Poll. The team was ranked as high as No. 22 in the national poll.

Payne and assistant coaches Andrea Klingle and Alan Tharp were named OAC Coaching Staff of the Year following the 2013 regular season. A number of players gained individual recognition under Payne's tutelage during the season. Senior Devan Boggs was named to the NFCA Division III All-America First Team and to the Capital One Division III Softball Academic All-America first team by CoSIDA. Boggs was selected OAC Player of the Year, while freshman Brooklyn Staten was tabbed OAC Rookie of the Year. In total, five players garnered All-OAC merits and two players - Boggs and sophomore Kelsey Swain - earned NFCA first team All-Central Region accolades.

In 2012, Capital finished fifth in the nation in home runs per game and junior Devan Boggs became the fourth All-American in Crusader softball history after being selected to the NFCA Division III All-American Third Team. Payne guided the team to a 21-17 overall record and a seventh-place finish in the OAC. Three Crusaders were named to the all-conference teams, including Boggs, who was also picked first team all-region and first team Capital One Academic All-District VII by CoSIDA.

Capital enjoyed another successful season in 2011, as the Crusaders won 23 games that included a 7-1 record during their trip to Tucson, Ariz. Payne overlooked a young, talented team that had three members receive post season All-OAC selections. Payne also tallied career win No. 300 at Capital during the 2011 season.

The winningest softball coach in school history, Payne earned OAC and Central Region Coach of the Year honors in 2002. Payne has led the Crusaders to 20 or more wins in each season up to that point, including a then school-record 30 wins, a share of the Ohio Athletic Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Regional semifinals in 2002.

Prior to coming to Columbus, Payne spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Buffalo State College (N.Y.). During her time there, the Bengals made five appearances in the NCAA Tournament while posting a 168-79 record. Payne played an active role in all aspects of the program including pre-season training, practice administration and game coaching.

As a player, Payne was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Michigan and in 1988 received team's Maize and Blue Award for her exceptional play. She graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in communications and in 1992, earned a master's degree in sport management.

Aside from her coaching duties, Payne is a winter game manager, working primarily with the men's basketball program. For the past 18 years, she also has held a summer softball camp in Clayton, Ohio.

THE PAYNE FILE