University of Rochester Athletics

Margaret Yerdon-Grange was named the head softball coach in July of 2009 and completed her 14th year at the helm of the Rochester program in 2023.  Prior to her appointment, she was an assistant coach for five seasons.

Since taking the helm of the Rochester program, Yerdon-Grange has guided the Yellowjackets to twelve 20+ win seasons, including two trips to the NCAA Division III Finals, coming in 2014 and 2021. In her time, Rochester has made the Liberty League playoffs 12 times and qualified for NCAA postseason play on seven occasions.

Her overall record leading the Yellowjackets is 345-206 (.626), while her record in the Liberty League is a sparkling 127-36 (.779).

During 2023, Rochester set a new school record for wins, ending 38-9 on the year, claiming the Liberty League Tournament title for the third year in a row. From March 9 through April 25, the team went unbeaten over 24 games, establishing another school record. First-year Molly Broccolo and sophomore Ally Kim were two of the top players from the squad, both earned NFCA All-America honors. Yerdon-Grange and her staff were awarded NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year praise.

The 2021 Yellowjackets embarked on a record setting campaign. UR reached the NCAA Finals for the second time in school history, going 35-10 overall, including posting a 22-3 mark in Liberty League play. After Rochester claimed the Liberty League title, it kept rolling, going 4-0 at the Erie Regional to advance to Salem, Virginia and the NCAA Finals. While there, UR was narrowly defeated by a single-run in both games to finish the season tied for 7th in Division III. Yerdon-Grange and her staff were selected the Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.

Rochester burst onto the national scene in 2014, making its first ever trip to the NCAA Division III Finals after posting a Liberty League title, NCAA Regional and NCAA Super Regional wins. The Yellowjackets rallied out of the losers bracket during regionals and then swept Rowan with back-to-back shutouts in super regionals to reach the NCAA finals in Tyler, Texas.

Yerdon-Grange has coached a total of five NFCA All-Americans, with Brittany Grage earning the honor in 2015 following a 2014 season in which Nina Korn and Tayler Fravel were named. Grage and Korn were both 1st Team selections, the first two in Rochester history.

Other NCAA appearances during Yerdon-Grange's time in the dugout came in 2012, 2015 and 2016. 

She has been a part of the Coaching Staffs of the Year in the University Athletic Association in 2007 and in the Liberty League in 2007, 2009, 2015 and 2021.

Since taking over in 2010, she has coached four Liberty League Players of the Year, two Pitchers of the Year and three Rookies of the Year.

In her time as an assistant coach, Rochester posted an overall record of 144-68, made three consecutive NCAA playoff appearances, won four conference titles, and set single-season victory record for three straight seasons (28 in 2007, 32 in 2008, 33 in 2009).

Yerdon-Grange was a graduate assistant coach at Binghamton in 2003 while pursuing her master’s degree in Social Sciences with a concentration in Public Administration. She earned a BA in English and Sociology in 2001 from Binghamton.

She participated in BU’s transition from Division III (1997) to Division I status (in 2000) receiving accolades for her playing skills at every level. She was a Division II NFCA All-Region selection in 1999 plus the NECC All-Conference Pitcher of the Year in 1999 and 2000.

In 2002, she was named the America East All-Conference Designated Player. Yerdon was selected as the team MVP in 1999 and 2002. She is Binghamton’s career record holder in strikeouts (431) and earned run average (1.40).

She received a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies in May, 2009 from the Susan B. Anthony Institute of the University of Rochester. She is pursuing her PhD in Education with a Concentration in Educational Policy and Theory.

Yerdon-Grange is an alumnus of Sandy Creek (N.Y.) High School. She was selected as one of the Top 100 North Country athletes by the Watertown Times in 2007.