Creighton softball coach Brent Vigness has put up wins numbers that rival those of former Creighton men’s basketball coach Dana Altman and current Florida men’s basketball coach Billy Donovan. And now he’s got something else in common with them.
A week after announcing he would leave Creighton for the head coaching job at Wisconsin, he announced today that he will be withdrawing his name from the position at Wisconsin and would return to coach the Jays for his 18th season. Altman, of course, left to coach Arkansas only to return 24 hours later, and Donovan committed to the Orlando Magic after winning his second straight title with Florida, but later decided he wanted to stay with the Gators.
In a release sent out by Creighton, Vigness said the following: “Creighton University and Omaha have been my home for the last 17 years. Family is what is most important to me. I kind of lost sight of that during this process and with each passing day I’ve realized that more and more. I want to thank (athletics director) Bruce Rasmussen for welcoming me back with open arms. Creighton and Omaha is where I want to be.”
Vigness is a three-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He has a record of 553-375-2, has led the Jays to the NCAA Tournament seven times, and has won six Valley regular-season titles and six MVC Tournament titles. Only the second coach in the 34-year history of the CU softball program, he will enter the 2011 season only 11 wins shy of legendary coach Mary Higgins’ school record of 564.