Donna J. Papa
{{short description|American softball coach (born 1956)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Donna Papa
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|3|16}}
| birth_place = Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1976–1979
| player_team1 = Connecticut
| player_positions =
| coach_sport1 = Softball
| coach_years2 = 1980
| coach_team2 = UNC Greensboro (assistant)
| coach_years3 = 1981–1983
| coach_team3 = St. John's (assistant)
| coach_years4 = 1984–1985
| coach_team4 = Susquehanna
| coach_years5 = 1986–2023
| coach_team5 = North Carolina
| coach_sport6 = Volleyball
| coach_years7 = 1984–1985
| coach_team7 = Susquehanna
| overall_record = {{winpct|1368|805|4|record=y}} (softball)
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships = Softball
5 ACC regular season (1996, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2012)
1 ACC tournament (2001)
| awards = Softball
5× ACC Coach of the Year (1996, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2012)
National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2012)
| coaching_records =
}}
Donna Jean Papa (born March 16, 1956) is an American softball coach. With a record of 1,368–805–4, she ranks 7th in wins in the history of college softball. She was the head coach at the University of North Carolina from 1986-2023.{{cite web|title=Donna J. Papa Biography|publisher=University of North Carolina|accessdate=October 18, 2018|url=https://goheels.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1963&path=softball}} She was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Coaching career
=North Carolina=
On May 25, 2023, after 38 years at the helm, Donna Papa retired as head coach of the North Carolina softball team.{{cite web |last1=McLeod |first1=Justin |title=Donna Papa Retires as North Carolina Head Coach |url=https://extrainningsoftball.com/donna-papa-retires-as-north-carolina-head-coach/ |website=ExtraInningSoftball.com |date=25 May 2023 |publisher=Extra Inning Softball |access-date=26 May 2023}}{{cite web |title=DONNA J. PAPA RETIRES AFTER 38 SEASONS LEADING SOFTBALL PROGRAM |url=https://goheels.com/news/2023/5/25/donna-j-papa-retires-after-38-seasons-leading-softball-program.aspx |website=GoHeels.com |publisher=University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Athletics |access-date=26 May 2023}}
Head coaching record
=Softball=
{{CBB yearly record start | type =coach | conference = | postseason= }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Susquehanna
| conference = Middle Atlantic Conferences
| startyear = 1984
| endyear = 1985
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1984
| name = Susquehanna
| overall = 13–7
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1985
| name = Susquehanna
| overall = 16–8
| conference = 7–1
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name = Susquehanna
| overall = {{winpct|29|15|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|10|4|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = North Carolina Tar Heels
| conference = Independent
| startyear = 1986
| endyear = 1991
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1986
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 35–13
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1987
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 36–11
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1988
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 25–23
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1989
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 35–17
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1990
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 38–18
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1991
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 36–12
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = North Carolina Tar Heels
| conference = Atlantic Coast Conference
| startyear = 1992
| endyear =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1992
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 45–18
| conference = 3–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1993
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 42–17
| conference = 3–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1994
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 32–25
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1995
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 25–34
| conference = 1–5
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1996
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 33–29–1
| conference = 6–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1997
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 21–34
| conference = 2–6
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1998
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 32–21
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1999
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 39–22
| conference = 4–4
| confstanding = T-3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2000
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 47–17
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = T-1st
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2001
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 38–19–1
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2002
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 34–30
| conference = 2–6
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2003
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 40–22–1
| conference = 4–3
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2004
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 44–22
| conference = 6–4
| confstanding = T-2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2005
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 38–29
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2006
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 48–19
| conference = 13–7
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2007
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 46–21
| conference = 11–9
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2008
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 50–12–1
| conference = 18–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2009
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 47–13
| conference = 15–5
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2010
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 42–20
| conference = 11–10
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2011
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 34–21
| conference = 13–7
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2012
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 43–15
| conference = 13–4
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2013
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 40–21
| conference = 13–8
| confstanding = T-3rd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2014
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 24–26
| conference = 14–11
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2015
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 37–16
| conference = 16–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2016
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 32–25
| conference = 13–11
| confstanding = T-5th
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 40–21
| conference = 14–9
| confstanding = T-3rd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2018
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 30–26
| conference = 15–8
| confstanding = 2nd (Coastal)
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2019
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 38–20
| conference = 17–7
| confstanding = 2nd (Coastal)
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2020
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 10–14
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason = Season canceled due to COVID-19
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2021
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 14–26
| conference = 10–19
| confstanding = 10th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2022
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 23–28
| conference = 6–18
| confstanding = 10th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2023
| name = North Carolina
| overall = 26–28
| conference = 13–10
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name = North Carolina
| overall = {{winpct|1339|805|4|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|288|206|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB yearly record end
| overall = {{winpct|1368|805|4|record=y}}
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame|Coaches}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Papa, Donna}}
Category:UConn Huskies softball players
Category:North Carolina Tar Heels softball coaches
Category:Sportspeople from Waterbury, Connecticut
Category:Softball players from Connecticut
Category:American female sports coaches
Category:American softball coaches
Category:UNC Greensboro Spartans softball coaches
Category:St. John's Red Storm softball coaches