Julie "Inga" Hoffman enters the Alma College Hall of Fame after a stellar softball career at the school. When she wasn't preparing for a degree in elementary education, Julie was helping lead the Scots to the nationals of the NCAA Tournament.
Hoffman was a three-time All-MIAA selection (1993, '94 and '95) and earned MIAA Most Valuable Player honors after the 1995 season. During that final season, Hoffman was the MIAA batting champion with an average of .463. That average is still listed as the third-highest in school history for a single season.
She lists the 1994 season as her most memorable athletic moment/experience at Alma College.
"The entire 1994 softball season was the highlight," said Hoffman. "The Florida trips and most importantly the run to nationals, as the first Alma team to get that far. The entire season was something that I will never forget. Getting to nationals and losing to the defending champions in 16 innings is a dream that not many people have come true."
A fantastic pitcher for the Scots, Hoffman's name is all over the school's record book for her achievements. Her 47 career wins in the circle is tied for fifth-best, while her 460 and one third career innings pitched is third on the all-time list. Her 11 shutouts is sixth and the 250 career strikeouts is fifth in history.
She threw a perfect game versus Augustana (Ill.), one of just five thrown in school history, on March 1, 1995.
As a hitter, Hoffman also made the record book with her numbers. Her 10 career home runs are tied for seventh all-time and her career batting average of .366 is currently eighth in school history. In addition, the 28 doubles in her career is sixth on the all-time list.
After leaving Alma, she earned her degree in special education at Saginaw Valley State University and is working on her master's in special education. She is currently employed at Birch Run Area Schools and began coaching softball in 2006 and is now head coach. She is a special education teacher in the sixth grade at Marshall Greene Middle School and has been there for 14 years. She was named The Saginaw News 2008 Dream Team Coach of the Year.
She looks back fondly at her days at Alma College and is thankful for her time at the school.
"It was one of the best decisions that I have made to go to Alma College," said Hoffman. "Not only did I get a degree from a top-notch school, I was able to play softball at one of the best programs in the country."
Hoffman gives special recognition to her parents, Rich and Mary Hoffman. She would like to thank them for traveling all over the place to watch her games. They made numerous trips to Florida, Chicago, Indianapolis, Ohio and Virginia to support her and the rest of the team. Without them, Julie says she wouldn't be where she is today.
