Nashville, TN – October 13, 2015 – National Pro Fastpitch announced the appointment of Mike Raynor as the League’s next Supervisor of Officials. Raynor replaces Ed Whipple, who recently retired from the position following a 3-year stint.
As Supervisor, Raynor is slated to oversee the NPF staff of umpires, a position which includes the identification and hiring of the game’s top umpires, regular season and Championship Series assignments and umpire evaluations. In addition, Raynor will communicate with the League Commissioner and team owners regarding current and future rule changes and revisions, along with overall operation of the NPF umpire program.
“An ever-present priority for the NPF is to staff the nation’s best umpires to officiate the world’s best competition,” said NPF Commissioner, Cheri Kempf. “That priority, along with the admin-istration of the NPF Staff of Umpires, can be challenging. It is a necessary for the Supervisor to have a solid understanding of what takes place on the field, as well as the overall goals of the league. I am confident Mike Raynor brings us the experience, expertise and leadership needed, to keep our umpire performance at that necessary level.”
Raynor’s resume includes experience in the administration, coaching and officiating categories over an excess of 40 years. As an official, Raynor has umpiring experience in both NCAA and NPF. As an NCAA umpire, he has a combined 20 plus years officiating the Southeastern Con-ference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Conference USA, the Southern Conference and numerous others. In addition to actively officiating games, Raynor’s resume of administrating officials is also lengthy, as he has served as the Umpire in Chief and Crew Chief in numerous Division I conference Championships and NCAA Regional Tournaments. Currently, Raynor serves as the Umpire Coordinator and Supervisor of Officials for the Atlantic Coast Conference, the BIG EAST Conference, the Big South Conference and the Ivy League.
“I am excited about the opportunity to work in the NPF as its Supervisor and oversee the officiat-ing of the toughest competition our sport has to offer,” commented Raynor. “I especially look forward to putting the game’s best umpires on the field with the most talented and accomplished players. We plan to provide an excellent game management and umpiring environment for the owner’s coaches, players and fans.”
Raynor will resume the duties of NPF Supervisor immediately.
About National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. The league, created to give elite female fastpitch players the opportunity to pursue a professional career in their chosen sport, has operated since 1997 under the names of Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). NPF is the Official Development Partner of Major League Baseball in the category of women’s fastpitch softball and has been since 2002. https://www.profastpitch.com