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In the 17 years prior to her arrival, the Montclair State softball team had established itself as a top-flight program. Then in 1984, Willie Rucker took over the reigns and Montclair State soared to even greater heights. In her seven seasons as the Montclair State mentor, Rucker’s teams won no fewer than 27 games and three times they surpassed the 30-win mark. She posted a 209-87 record for an outstanding .706 winning percentage and only once during her tenure did MSC record a sub-.700 winning percentage in a season. In those seven years, Rucker guided Montclair to the NCAA Regional Tournament each year and four times Montclair reached the NCAA Division III World Series (1984, 1986, 1987 and 1988). Rucker also led Montclair to its first NJAC Championship in 1989 and was tabbed the 1989 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year by the National Softball Coaches Association. In her final season of 1990, Rucker achieved victory No. 200 as the Red Hawks completed a doubleheader sweep of Rutgers-Camden with a no-hitter and perfect game. At the time she became just the third coach in athletic history to win 200 or more contests joining legendary coaches Ollie Gelston and Bill Dioguardi. In her tenure, Rucker coached 14 All-Americans, 22 All-Region selections and 27 All-Conference performers. Of those 14 All-Americans, six were later inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame.
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