Rick Wade

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Fairmont State alumnus Rick Wade begins his fifth season as head coach of the Fighting Falcon softball team. Wade has helped take the Fighting Falcon program to unprecedented heights during his tenure leading the team to its first NCAA appearance in 2010. Fairmont State had just one 30-win season prior to his arrival, but has posted at least 30 wins in three of his four seasons as head coach.

Last season, Wade's squad went 20-23 against a difficult schedule. The Falcons went 10-8 in league play to finish fourth. Shortstop Abbey Wilson was named first team All-WVIAC and three others earned recognition from the league.

In 2010, the Falcons posted a 33-20 record and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Falcons also had a runner-up finish in the WVIAC Tournament. Freshman Chelsea Cobb was the league's top rookie, and Brittany Tallhamer was a first team All-WVIAC selection.

In 2009, FSU posted a 32-16 record, including a program-best 21 conference victories, as the Falcons finished second in the WVIAC regular season standings. Kristy Rausch was a first team All-WVIAC pick and an Academic All-American, and Heather Shutler was a first team all-league selection.

In his first season as head coach in 2008, he helped Fairmont State to just its second 30-win season in school history as the Falcons went 30-23 and 17-11 in the WVIAC. Kristy Rausch and Alyssa Childers earned first team All-WVIAC honors, and Rausch was named second-team Academic All-America.

Wade spent nine seasons as an assistant baseball coach for the Falcons, he helped Fairmont State to the WVIAC playoffs in seven of his nine seasons. The Falcons advanced twice to the semifinals and once to the quarterfinals. Fairmont State also won one Northern Division title during that span. Wade also spent two summers as head coach of the Fairmont Penn-Mar League team, winning the league title in 1997 and helping the team to a runner-up finish in 1998.

Wade has been a member of the Fairmont State faculty since 1988, serving both as a full-time and adjunct professor in biology. A native of Fairmont, he graduated from Fairmont Senior High and earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Fairmont State in 1980. He obtained his master’s degree in secondary education from West Virginia University in 1987.

Wade and his wife Becky have three children, Kristina, Emilee and Alex.