Ken Ericksen

Induction year: 2026

Location: Ward Melville

Categories: Softball, Coaching, International

A graduate of Ward Melville High School and the longtime head softball coach at the University of South Florida, Ken Eriksen is also a former head coach of the United States Women’s National Softball Team.

A four-year member of the USF baseball team from 1981-1984, Eriksen played multiple positions, including pitcher and catcher. He finished his collegiate career with a .315 batting average and a 2.48 earned run average, showcasing remarkable versatility on the diamond.

Eriksen also represented the United States Men’s National Softball Team, earning a silver medal at the 1991 Pan American Games and being named First-Team All-World catcher in 1992.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at South Florida in 1989 before being named head coach in 1997. Over nearly three decades, he transformed the Bulls into a national softball powerhouse, compiling nearly 1,200 victories and becoming the winningest coach in school history across all sports.

Under his leadership, South Florida captured multiple conference championships across Conference USA, the Big East and the American Athletic Conference, while making numerous NCAA Tournament appearances.

On the international stage, Eriksen served as an assistant coach for Team USA for nine years, helping the Americans win Olympic, World Championship, World Cup and Pan American Games gold medals. He was named head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2011 and guided Team USA to two World Championship titles and six World Cup championships.

A three-time Conference Coach of the Year, Eriksen is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and respected figures in the sport of softball.