University of Minnesota Athletics
Linda Wells - M Club Hall of Fame
Linda Wells
Softball Coach, 1974-1988
Women’s Basketball Coach, 1973-77
Volleyball Coach, 1974-81
Linda Wells was a three-sport Minnesota coach in the 1970s, but best known as the Gophers’ softball coach from 1974 to 1989.
The Southern Missouri State grad came to Minnesota to pursue a masters degree in exercise physiology. Soon, she was coaching and leading three different sports programs to national-championship competition.
Her 1978 volleyball team won an unofficial Big Ten title, and her 1981 squad placed seventh at the AIAW National Championships – the same year her softball team advanced to the nationals.
In 15 years, Wells led the Gophers to a 351-264-1 record. The team advanced to third place at the 1978 AIAW College World Series, and her teams won conference titles in 1976, 1978, 1982, 1986 and 1988. Wells was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1978, when her team went 31-25, earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament, and was ranked 11th nationally.
Wells became the head women’s softball coach at Arizona State University in 1988, coached the USA to a gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games, and coached the Greek National Team at the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Games. She is a member of five halls of fame.