FULLERTON COLLEGE CENTENNIAL
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ALUMNI STORIES: SHARRON BACKUS
SHARRON BACKUS
Sharron Backus is one who had an outstanding playing career at Fullerton College under FC Hall of Famer Margo Davis. She would later distinguish herself as a professional player and head coach.
Backus played amateur softball from 1961-1975 for the Whittier Gold Sox at the ripe age of thirteen years old (under Davis), the Orange, CA Lionettes and the Raybestos Brakettes. Backus batted .268, .298 and .301 for the Gold Sox and was a second-team All-American in 1961 as the Gold Sox won the national title. Backus spent three years with the Lionettes (1964-1966) and was a first-team All-American in 1964 and 1966. She batted .285, .293 and .263 those three years. Sharron spent the last seven years of her career with the Brakettes and earned All-America laurels three times. She was a member of five more national championship teams (1971-1975) and participated in 13 national tourneys. Backus had a seven-year .292 batting average with the Brakettes with .361 in 1971 her highest batting average.
As a coach, Backus was the architect of the UCLA softball dynasty. The winningest Division 1 softball coach in NCAA history, Backus coached 21 seasons at UCLA (1976-96), posting a lifetime record of 847-167-3 (.835). Backus and the Bruins brought eight national championship trophies to Westwood (seven NCAA and one AIAW) including an unprecedented three in a row (1988, ‘89, ‘90). Her UCLA teams played in the College World Series 16 times. Backus coached a total of 53 All-Americans including Player of the Decade (1980’s) Dot Richardson and Lisa Fernandez. Backus was inducted into the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame in 1993, the National Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Hall of Fame in 1985.