Edwardsville assistant coach Donna Farley, right, with Lexie Griffin at first base during the Class 4A Pekin Sectional championship game in 2022.
Rick Brewer/For the IntelligencerWinning has followed longtime assistant coach Donna Farley wherever she has gone during her career from stops at Nashville, Carrollton and Edwardsville.
Now, Farley is being recognized.
Farley will be inducted into the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Hall of Fame on Sunday during a ceremony as the DeStihl Barrel Room in Normal.
Also being inducted this weekend are Sandburg’s Jim Fabianski, Manteno’s Josh Carlile, Rock Island’s Tom Crowder and Goreville’s Shanna Green.
During a 25-year career at the high school level – all with Lori Blade – Farley helped her teams to a combined 755-126 record with 22 regional championships, 11 sectional championships and eight state tournament appearances.
After beginning her coaching career at Nashville Middle School from 1982-95, Farley made the move to Carrollton to join Blade for the 1996 softball season.
Over the next seven seasons, the Lady Hawks went 231-28 with seven regional championships, five sectional championships and five state tournament appearances.
Carrollton finished second in the Class A state tournament in 2002 and fourth in 1998.
During the seven years there, the Lady Hawks averaged 33 wins per season and enjoyed six 30-win seasons.
Following the 2002 season, Farley made the move with Blade to Edwardsville High School.
When Blade took over the head coaching job for softball in 2003, the two had the challenge of turning the program from a regional contender into a state powerhouse.
Edwardsville went 19-16 in 2003 and finished 7-7 in the Southwestern Conference.
Since that first season, the Tigers averaged 29.7 wins. They won 15 regional championships, six sectional championships and 13 SWC championships. EHS has also made three state tournament appearances, including a second-place finish in 2009 and third-place finishes in 2007 and 2022.
In 18 seasons at Edwardsville, Farley helped the program to a 524-98 record, including 33-4 in her final season in 2022. EHS averaged 29.1 wins.
Before Farley’s arrival, Edwardsville had won more than 22 games in a season just once when it set a then-program record of 29 victories in 1997. It also had only won five regional championships with no sectional championships since starting the program in 1974.
Along with her success on the softball diamond, Farley was a winner on the basketball court as an assistant coach at Okawville, Carrollton and Edwardsville.
Farley was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2017.
