Coach Howald Set to Retire Following 2025 Season
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. – After a legendary 36-year career as the head coach of the Mount Vernon Nazarene University softball team, Jeana Howald announced that she is ready to retire after the 2025 season.
"It's hard to believe the time has come for me to retire from coaching. My heart is full of gratitude and a spirit ready for the next chapter," said Howald. "I've had an incredible journey and the privilege of being on the sidelines with many wonderful players, coaches, athletic trainers, and support staff. I'm thankful for the experiences and the relationships we've created.
"As I move forward, MVNU, the athletic staff, and leadership will always hold a special place in my heart, especially the Lady Cougars softball program. My life has been changed by being a small part of Mount Vernon Nazarene University."
Howald began coaching softball in 1989 and has since put together one of the best careers in NAIA history. Howald currently ranks tenth all-time in the NAIA among active coaches with 771 victories and is twelfth among all coaches in NAIA history. Howald hit a big career milestone on March 3, 2023, beating Judson for her 700th career win.
Howald was honored with the Crossroads League Coach of the Year award in 2021 and then coached the best season in program history the following season. In 2022, Howald guided MVNU to 37 wins and a winning percentage of .722, both program bests. Howald also helped MVNU earn its first-ever NAIA National ranking during the 2023 season, climbing as high as No. 20 in the poll.
Howald also guided MVNU to the National Christian College Athletic Association National Tournament 10 times during her tenure with the program. Along with her Crossroads League honor in 2021, Howald was named the Mid-Ohio Conference Coach of the Year in 1992 and named the NCCAA East Region Coach of the Year eight times.
Howald, who graduated from MVNU in 1982, was a three-sport standout in basketball, volleyball, and tennis for the Lady Cougars. She helped the volleyball team to its only NAIA District 22 title in 1980, and she competed at the NAIA National Tournament in tennis in both singles and doubles in 1981. She was inducted into the Cougar Wall of Fame in 1998.
"Coach Howald has been a cornerstone at MVNU for decades, and her influence can be seen in the many people that she has positively impacted during her time as a coach and faculty member," said Director of Athletics, Chip Wilson. "She is a wealth of knowledge and her strong faith and wisdom have helped to guide me and many others in her time at MVNU. We are thankful for the legacy she will be leaving behind and she will be greatly missed."
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,100 students from 33 states and 26 foreign countries.