2024 NFCA Hall of Fame inductee Tim Walton enters his 21
st year at the helm of the Florida Gators softball program. Going into the 2026 season, Walton has tallied a 1,028-255 (.801) record in 20 seasons as Florida's head coach and 1,151-319 (.783) in 23 seasons overall.
Walton earned his 1,000
th win as a Gator in 2025, leading Florida to its 13
th Women's College World Series appearance as the the No. 3 National Seed.
Jocelyn Erickson and Kendra Falby repeated as Rawlings Gold Glove winners at catcher and in center field, just the second and third pair of repeat winners in the award's history. Since the award was established in 2022, three Gator student-athletes have been named winners five times, the most of any program in the nation.
Taylor Shumaker was named the 2025 NFCA Freshman of the Year, the second Gator to earn the honor, and became the first Florida freshman to be named an NFCA First Team All-American.
The Gators also continued to thrive in the classroom. Korbe Otis was named the SEC Student-Athlete of the Year and Elite 90 winner, the first time in program history that a Florida athlete has won either award.
In 2024, Florida returned to the Women’s College World Series for the 12th time and earned its sixth SEC Tournament championship, rolling up 54 wins.
The Gators earned extensive recognition within the Southeastern Conference as Jocelyn Erickson earned SEC Player of the Year honors and Keagan Rothrock added SEC Freshman of the Year accolades. Five Gators earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2024, including Erickson, Kendra Falby, Korbe Otis, Skylar Wallace and Reagan Walsh, while Rothrock added second-team recognition. Erickson and Falby also earned SEC All-Defensive Team honors.
Prior to the start of the 2024 campaign, Walton was announced as a member of the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class.
Walton reached a historic milestone during the Gators 2022 campaign as he became the second fastest head coach to reach 1,000 career NCAA Division I softball victories with 2-1 (9 inning) win at LSU on May 1. In addition, Walton led the Gators to its 11th overall Women’s College World Series appearance after the Orange & Blue defeated No.3-seed Virginia Tech in Blacksburg during the NCAA Super Regional round. In 2021, Walton led the program to a Southeastern Conference leading ninth regular season championship.
During the 2019 season, the Gators became back-to-back SEC Tournament Champions for the second time in program history and Walton navigated the program through a shortened 2020 campaign due to COVID-19 with a 23-4, 3-0 SEC record and a No. 7 national ranking.
With an incredible record of 926-223 (.806) at Florida, the five-time SEC Coach of the Year has led the Orange and Blue to 364 school records and numerous other SEC records, and his squads have earned various firsts for the Gator softball program. By the end of the 2008 season, the Gators had set the NCAA single-season record for wins (70) and the SEC single-season record (27). In 2018, the program set the NCAA record for walks (360) in a season and most recently set the UF program record for stolen bases (132).
In 2018, Florida became only the second SEC program to win four straight SEC Regular Season Championships and now holds a league leading nine titles, eight of which have come under Walton’s guidance. In 2017, Walton and his staff earned their fifth NFCA Southeast Coaching Staff of the Year award and the team finished the season leading the nation in ERA (0.81) and fielding percentage (.985) for the second consecutive season.
With back-to-back national titles in 2014 and 2015, Walton’s Gators are one of only four teams to have achieved the feat in consecutive seasons.
The five-time SEC Coach of the Year recipient, has led his squads to 19 NCAA Regional appearances, 16 Super Regionals, 13 Women’s College World Series berths, eight SEC Regular Season Championships and six SEC Tournament Championships. From 2006 to 2018, the Orange & Blue appeared in a nation’s best five WCWS championship series appearances. That success led to a 2015 NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year award and five NFCA Southeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year selections.
Under Walton’s tutelage, Gator softball student-athletes have earned 55 NFCA All-American honors, 83 All-SEC honors, two USA Softball Player of the Year recipients, three Honda Award winners, 13 SEC Player & Pitcher of the Year honorees, two NFCA Players of the Year and two NFCA Freshman of the Year honorees.
The Gators have not only excelled on the field but in the classroom as well under Walton. Since 2006, Florida student-athletes have achieved 23 College Sports Communicators (CoSIDA) Academic All-American honors, 191 appearances on the SEC Academic Honor Roll and 79 SEC Academic Honor Roll First-Year recipients.
Prior to arriving at Florida, he took Wichita State to the NCAA Tournament in 2005 where his team finished with a school single-season record 46 wins (46-18). After three seasons with the Shockers he amassed a record of 123-64.
Walton has been a part of national championship teams as a baseball player, an assistant softball coach and a head softball coach. Before heading to take his first head coaching position at Wichita State, Walton served as an assistant softball coach for the University of Oklahoma, as the hitting coach and outfielders’ coach. In his four seasons at OU, the Sooners won three Big 12 titles and made three consecutive WCWS appearances, including winning the 2000 NCAA title.
Outside the collegiate ranks, Walton has continuously prepared his student-athletes for success. Numerous Gators have gone on to play professionally and 15 players have been selected to various national teams including the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
After graduating from Oklahoma with a degree in history, Walton played in the Philadelphia Phillies organization from 1995-97.
Walton is married to the former Samantha Rhoten, who was a basketball player at Oral Roberts. The couple has two sons, Brooks and Palmer, and a daughter, Camden.
| The Walton File |
|
| Hometown |
Cerritos, California |
| College |
University of Oklahoma, B.A. in History, 1996 |
| Family |
Wife, Samantha; Children, Brooks, Camden and Palmer |
| Record at Florida |
1,028-255 (.801) |
| Overall Record |
1,151-319 (.783) |
| NCAA Appearances |
20 - 2005 (Wichita State); 2006-19, 21-25 (Florida) |
| Coaching Experience |
|
| 2006-Present |
University of Florida, Head Coach |
| 2022-2025 |
USA Women's National Team Assistant Coach |
| 2015 & 2019 |
U.S. Junior Women’s National Team, Assistant Coach |
| 2010, 2011 |
USSSA Florida Pride (NPF), Head Coach |
| 2003-05 |
Wichita State University, Head Coach |
| 1999-2002 |
University of Oklahoma, Assistant Coach |
|
|
| Playing Experience |
|
| 1995-97 |
Philadelphia Phillies; Drafted 25th round of 1995 draft, pitched at various levels of minor league system |
| 1994-95 |
University of Oklahoma, two-year letter winner |
| 1992-93 |
Cerritos Junior College |
| Coaching Accolades |
|
| SEC Coach of the Year |
5 – 2008, ’09, ’11, ’13, ‘17 |
| NFCA DI National Coaching Staff of the Year |
1 – 2015 |
| NFCA Southeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year |
5 – 2007, ’08, ’09, ’11, ‘17, '19 |
Team USA
Walton served as an Assistant Coach with the USA Women’s National Team (WNT) from 2022-2025, helping lead the Red, White and Blue to a World Championship at 2022 World Games. He helped the WNT earn a silver medal in the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup Finals in Italy after helping lead the team to a first place finish in Group A qualifier held in Ireland during the summer of 2023.
During the fall of 2023, Walton and Team USA also won a Gold Medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
In addition, Walton was an Assistant Coach on the U.S. Junior Women’s National Team in 2015 & 2019 that won a Gold Medal at the WBSC in 2015 & 2019. The team also won Gold at the Junior Women’s World Championship (JWWC) in 2015. |
| Walton’s Year-By-Year Record |
| Year |
Overall |
Conference |
NCAA |
| 2003 (Wichita State) |
39-20 (.661) |
16-9 (.640) – 3rd |
|
| 2004 (Wichita State) |
38-26 (.594) |
15-12 (.556) – 5th |
|
| 2005 (Wichita State) |
46-18 (.719) |
22-4 (.846) – 2nd |
Regionals |
| 2006 (Florida) |
43-25 (.632) |
17-13 (.567) – 5th |
No. 16 Seed – Regionals |
| 2007 (Florida) |
50-22 (.694) |
17-11 (.607) – 4th |
No. 13 Seed – Super Regionals |
| 2008 (Florida) |
70-5* (.933) |
27-1 (.964) – 1st |
No. 1 Seed – WCWS Semifinals |
| 2009 (Florida) |
63-5 (.926) |
26-1 (.963) – 1st |
No. 1 Seed – WCWS Finals |
| 2010 (Florida) |
49-10 (.831) |
20-4 (.833) – 2nd |
No. 4 Seed – WCWS Quarterfinals |
| 2011 (Florida) |
56-13 (.811) |
21-7 (.750) – 2nd |
No. 4 Seed – WCWS Finals |
| 2012 (Florida) |
48-13 (.786) |
21-7 (.750) – 3rd |
No. 5 Seed – Regionals |
| 2013 (Florida) |
58-9 (.866) |
18-6 (.750) – 1st |
No. 2 Seed – WCWS |
| 2014 (Florida) |
55-12 (.821) |
15-9 (.625) – T-3rd |
No. 5 Seed – National Champions |
| 2015 (Florida) |
60-7 (.896) |
18-5 (.783) – 1st |
No. 1 Seed – National Champions |
| 2016 (Florida) |
56-7 (.889) |
20-4 (.833) – 1st |
No. 1 Seed – Super Regionals |
| 2017 (Florida) |
58-10 (.852) |
20-3 (.870) – 1st |
No. 1 Seed – WCWS Finals |
| 2018 (Florida) |
56-11 (.836) |
20-4 (.833) - 1st |
No. 2 Seed - WCWS Quarterfinals |
| 2019 (Florida) |
49-18 (.731) |
12-12 (.500) - T-6th |
No. 5 Seed - WCWS |
| 2020 (Florida) |
23-4 (.852) |
3-0 (1.000) - T-1st |
NCAA Postseason Canceled |
| 2021 (Florida) |
45-11 (.804) |
19-5 (.792) - T-1st |
No. 4 Seed - Super Regionals |
| 2022 (Florida) |
49-19 (.721) |
13-11 (.542) - 5th |
No. 14 Seed - WCWS |
| 2023 (Florida) |
38-22 (.633) |
11-13 (.458) – 8th |
NCAA Palo Alto Regional Runner Up |
| 2024 (Florida) |
54-15 (.783) |
17-7 (.708) – 2nd |
No. 4 Seed – NCAA WCWS Semifinals |
| 2025 (Florida) |
48-17 (.738) |
14-10 (.583) |
No. 3 Seed - WCWS |
|
Overall |
Conference |
|
| Wichita State (3 Seasons) |
123-64 (.658) |
53-25 (.679) |
|
| Florida (20 Seasons) |
1,028-255 (.801) |
349-133 (.724) |
8 – SEC Regular Season Titles |
| NCAA Tournament |
110-47 (.700) |
|
2 – National Championships |
| Career (23 Seasons) |
1,151-319 (.783) |
|
|
| Athletic Awards Earned Under Walton |
| Honda Sports Award Winners |
2011 – Kelsey Bruder
2015 – Lauren Haeger
2017 – Kelly Barnhill |
| USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year |
2015 – Lauren Haeger
2017 – Kelly Barnhill |
| NFCA Player of the Year |
2024 – Jocelyn Erickson
2023 – Skylar Wallace |
| NCAA Today’s Top VIII Award Winner |
2011 – Kelsey Bruder |
| NFCA All-Americans |
31 Players, 56 Honors |
| NFCA All-Southeast Region Selections |
40 Players, 85 Honors |
| NFCA Freshman of the Year |
2016 - Amanda Lorenz
2025 - Taylor Shumaker |
| SEC Pitcher of the Year |
2008 & 2009 – Stacey Nelson
2015 – Lauren Haeger
2017 & 2018 – Kelly Barnhill |
| SEC Player of the Year |
2006 – Kristen Butler
2011 – Kelsey Bruder
2012 – Michelle Moultrie
2015 – Kelsey Stewart
2018 – Amanda Lorenz
2023 – Skylar Wallace
2024 – Jocelyn Erickson |
| All-SEC Selections |
41 Players, 83 Honors |
| SEC All-Tournament Team |
30 Players, 40 Honors |
| SEC Tournament MVP |
2008 – Stacey Nelson
2009 – Kristina Hilberth
2013 – Kirsti Merritt
2018 - Amanda Lorenz
2019 - Kelly Barnhill
2024 – Skylar Wallace |
| SEC All-Defensive Selections |
19 Players, 31 Honors |
| SEC Student-Athlete of the Year |
Korbe Otis - 2025 |
| Rawlings Gold Glove |
Hannah Adams - 2022
Jocelyn Erickson - 2024. 2025
Kendra Falby - 2024, 2025 |
| Women’s College World Series All-Tournament |
22 Players, 26 Honors |
| Women’s College World Series MVP |
2011 – Michelle Moultrie
2014 – Hannah Rogers
2015 – Lauren Haeger |
| Elite 90 Winner |
Korbe Otis - 2025 |
| Senior CLASS Award Winner |
2009 – Stacey Nelson |
| Academic Awards Earned Under Walton |
| CoSIDA Acadmic All-American of the Year |
2009 - Stacey Nelson
2018 - Kelly Barnhill
2020 - Kendyl Lindaman |
| CoSIDA Academic All-American |
13 Players, 23 Honors |
| SEC Academic Honor Roll |
90 Players, 191 Honors |
