Bio

Pamela Kay Stone was a two-sport athlete lettering in both softball and volleyball at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego. In 1977 her team took 1^st place in CIF Softball. In 1979 her senior year, she was named Coca Cola Softball Athlete of the Year and selected Softball Player of the Week three times in the Union-Tribune newspaper.

After high school, Pam attended Point Loma Nazarene College on a full-ride scholarship where she participated once again in softball and volleyball. As the star softball pitcher, she took her team to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletic for Women’s Regional Tournament (the predecessor to the NCAA). After her first year pitching, she was named Outstanding Female Athlete, ending the season with a 0.00 ERA.

Pam took two years off from school and went to Melbourne, Australia, where she was offered a job coaching and playing for the city’s softball team. In 1980, her team won the World Softball Series held in Brisbane, Australia.

Two days after returning to the States, the University of Arizona offered her a full-ride scholarship. While there, she lettered in softball all three years. One of her outstanding experiences was traveling with the University’s softball team to the Pan Am Games in Mexico representing the United States. They finished second, and Pam was named the pitcher of the tournament. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise and Sports Science and Minored in biology.

Pam continued her education, receiving a Master of Science Degree in Sports Science from United States Sports Academy and a Master of Science Degree in Psychology from University of Phoenix.

IN 1986, Southwestern College hired Pan as the Jaguar’s Head Softball Coach. She established a winning reputation during the seven years she was with the college, winning more than 120 games. Recognized for building a competitive program and developing impact players, she was named Pacific Coast Conference Softball Coach of the Year three times.

Her success led to a full-times coaching position at Arizona Western College. During her 15 years there, Pam won more than 580 games, had a winning percentage of .630 and led her teams to post season play 12 of those 15 years. In 2001, Pam took her team to the NJCAA Tournament finishing third in the nation. These were extraordinary achievements given that the softball conference Arizona Western participated in was considered one of the strongest in the country.

Currently, Pam is a consultant, paid by various universities to review and evaluate their pitchers. Additionally, she continues to give private softball lessons as well as providing her coaching expertise to various recreation programs around the county.

Pam’s best memories of Southwestern College are almost too numerous to mention. But there are two that come to mind-one during her first year as coach. She was hired late and didn’t have enough players to field a team so she stood outside the women’s locker room trying to get players. The players already on the team who stood with her thought she was crazy. She also remembers the laughter, tears, and kinship with her team on road trips-having water balloon fights at rest stops and tying the other van’s doors shut so the player in her van could get to the bathroom first.

Pamela Kay Stone, thank you for your dedication to your many student athlete and your contributions to the School of Wellness, Exercise Science and Athletics. It is an honor to induct you into the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame as a valued member of the Class of 2016.