George Wares '76
Softball coach
The nation’s winningest NCAA Division III softball coach, Wares has posted a staggering 1232-437-3 (.737) record over 39 seasons, with four national championships, 13 national finals appearances and a record 31 NCAA tourney berths.
Wares inherited a losing program in 1985 and built one of the country’s most impactful by challenging his players to relentlessly pursue seemingly unattainable goals on and off the field. The longest-tenured coach in any sport in Central history, Wares was inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame (2007) and the Pleasantville High School Hall of Fame (2022). He served on the NCAA Division III Softball Championships Committee (2017-19) and chaired the Midwest Region Advisory Committee and the NFCA Division III All-America Selection Committee. He also served on the NFCA’s Coaching Staff of the Year Committee and Top 25 Poll Committee.
Wares previously spent seven years as girls softball coach at NESCO (Zearing) High School, posting a 214-94 record, while also coaching boys basketball at NESCO and Pella High School, with an 18-season mark of 259-106, piloting seven state tournament squads. He guided his teams to two state runner-up finishes. Wares also served as assistant men’s basketball coach at Central for four seasons.
2023 Athletics Hall of Honor inductees: Alicia Whisner Fisher '07, George Wares '76, Don De Waard '82.
