Veronica Wiggins enters her first year as the director of player development and alumni affairs in the athletic department at Florida A&M University.
Wiggins, who was the head softball coach from 1990-2020 was a master psychologist and mother hen, Veronica Wiggins has been the architect of one of the more respected mid major Women’s Softball programs in NCAA Division I.
When FAMU transitioned from slow-pitch to fastpitch softball in the late 1980s, Wiggins was a part of that transition process as a member of the staff.
Even now, she serves as a mentor to younger coaches and has developed and maintained ties within the softball coaching community, something which has served her well, as she has consistently scheduled demanding non-conference opponents to test her players and prepare them for conference play, as well as postseason possibilities.
As focused as she is on sustaining the on-field success of her program, she is equally focused on the development and maturation of her players into confident and capable young women, overseeing the team’s academic study sessions and monitoring their academic progress throughout their time at FAMU.
In addition, she gets her team involved in community service activities throughout the year, and has held several softball clinics for area youngsters, which is in keeping with her passion for helping young people which came from her formative years as the eldest sister in her family, who helped raise here younger siblings.
Winner of over 700 games in her illustrious career, Wiggins has led FAMU Softball to a 281-90 record all-time in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play, while guiding her charges into postseason play eleven times (1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).
Inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, she has won the MEAC Outstanding Tournament Coach Award eight (8) times, and is a four-time MEAC Coach of the Year (1993, 1997, 1998, 2006).
Four of her players are members of the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame – pitcher Amber Alford (2013), who was inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame in 2012; along with pitcher Danielle Brown(2014), third baseman Kimberly Browning(2014), and Janell Staton(2018).
Wiggins, a two-time FAMU alum, earned a bachelor's degree in health, physical education and recreation and a master's degree in health, physical education and recreation (1991).
Wiggins Career Highlights:
- 13 MEAC Softball Championships (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
- 13-Time Outstanding MEAC Tournament Coach (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
- Eleven (11) NCAA Postseason Appearances (1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
- Eight (8) NCAA Regional Appearances (1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
- Five-Time MEAC Coach of the Year (1993, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2017)
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