MARIETTA, Ohio —Recording your 300th win on the college level would be a big accomplishment for most people.

Not for Marietta College women's softball coach Jeanne Arbuckle.

To the 1979 Slippery Rock University graduate, any win is great, just not greater than any other.

"To be honest, I was totally unaware of when it was," said Arbuckle, who has compiled a 328-326 record in 19 years at Marietta.

"I told the kids you work as hard for No. 1 as you do for 300. You treat them all the same," she added.

But coaching for two decades in college is not what Arbuckle would have envisioned growing up in Meadville.

While attending Cochranton High School, Arbuckle received a lot of faculty input on quality colleges to attend, namely, Slippery Rock.

"My phys ed teacher, Marilyn Kirkwood, was an SRUgraduate, as well as our athletic director, Dan Wigton, and other teachers from the school.

"It was through their encouragement I chose SRU. It was not far from home, close enough, and had a great reputation,"Arbuckle added.

Arbuckle's main sport was slow-pitch softball in the summer, since Title IX was only a few years old in the mid-1970s.

"It's nothing close like it is now," said Arbuckle. "Title IX was just passed and our offerings were minimal, but I was lucky since I had played in the summer league."

When Arbuckle came to SRU, she threw the javelin only one year, as a freshman, advancing to the national championship meet, played volleyball all four years (1976-78) and played softball her final three years (1977-79) under coach Jan Kasnevich.

She served as a team captain in softball and volleyball her senior year.

"I still have fond memories of Slippery Rock," Arbuckle said.

After graduating with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1979, Arbuckle spent more than three years in social services, working with disabled children in Meadville through the Association of Retarded Citizens and the Special Olympics.

Arbuckle then accepted an elementary physical education position in the Crawford Central School District, which includes Cochranton High.

Arbuckle moved on to Allegheny College as a part-time volleyball coach.

"It was my first opportunity to coach a college team," said Arbuckle. "I realized it was the right fit for me. I enjoy that age group, just the whole experience of college."

After a second year of coaching, Arbuckle went to Ithaca (N.Y). College to pursue a master's degree in physical education while serving as a graduate assistant softball and volleyball coach.

"At the time, it was pretty common to coach two sports," said Arbuckle. "Ithaca had a good program and it was a great experience."

In 1986, Arbuckle accepted a softball coaching position at Marietta.

"I was champing at the bit to be a head coach," said Arbuckle. "I was not looking to be there long-term. I looked at it as a steppingstone."

That stone still remains at Marietta, where Arbuckle will enter her 20th year next summer.

"I've had some opportunities to grow and a chance to do things that I would not have had a chance to do," said Arbuckle.

Aside from her head coaching duties, Arbuckle also serves as the associate athletic director and as the chairwoman of the physical education department.

Also, she is the director of the Pioneer Fast-Pitch Camps and has done clinics and camps throughout Ohio and West Virginia.

She is also a member of the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association and serves on the advisory board for Coast to Coast Amateur Athletics, a youth development program that provides opportunities for international travel to enjoy softball.

In Arbuckle's tenure, the Pioneers won the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship in 1996 and went to the NCAADivision IIRegionals.

"That was the only women's team at Marietta to reach the regional tournament," said Arbuckle.

Arbuckle, who was a member of the SRU Hall of Fame class of 2002, was named NCAARegional Coach of the Year and OAC Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996.

She has also had some conference runner-up teams as well.

"I just feel so blessed to coach" said Arbuckle. "You hope the kids come along and become better people when they leave Marietta."

Entering last season, Arbuckle coached 20 all-region players and 35 All-OAC players.

This spring, the Pioneers enjoyed their best season statistically, setting 15 team records, including wins (33) and total games (44).

Despite the success, the team did not win the OAC Tournament and did not receive an at-large berth in the regional playoffs.

"That left us a little empty, but we're looking forward to next year," said Arbuckle.

That could be an even stronger team as the Pioneers lost only two seniors to graduation.

"It's been a lot of enjoyment here," said Arbuckle. I can't think for a better way to spend the last 20 years."

<i>This is one in a series of articles on Slippery Rock University graduates who have moved on to athletic careers elsewhere.</i>