Bynum, Tech Softball ace, to be inducted into TTU Sports Hall of Fame
There have been several fantastic student-athletes who have come out of the Tennessee Tech softball program in the last 15 years as records were broken and broken again at a torrid pace. For Bonnie Bynum Graham, a 2004 to 2007 standout for the Golden Eagles, she still stands as one of the top pitchers to come through the program and many of her records are still among the best in program and Ohio Valley Conference history. Graham will be inducted in the 2017 Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame class on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Clarion Inn at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available through the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, by calling (931) 372-3940 or by visiting TTUsports.com.
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
There have been several fantastic student-athletes who have come out of the Tennessee Tech softball program in the last 15 years as records were broken and broken again at a torrid pace.
For Bonnie Bynum Graham, a 2004 to 2007 standout for the Golden Eagles, she still stands as one of the top pitchers to come through the program and many of her records are still among the best in program and Ohio Valley Conference history.
Graham will be inducted in the 2017 Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame class on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Clarion Inn at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available through the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, by calling (931) 372-3940 or by visiting TTUsports.com.
In the OVC, even 10 years after the completion of her career, Bynum still owns the single-season records in appearances (58), wins (34) and strikeouts (330). At Tech, she adds innings pitched (302 2/3), saves (7), appearances (54), starts (41) complete games (33) and shutouts (14) – the latter two shared with Adrienne Fortmann.
In Tech career records, she is first in victories with 103 – 37 more than the No. 2 finisher. In strikeouts, first with 1,021 – 285 more than the No. 2, Danielle Liberatore, finished with in 2017. She also pitched the most innings for a Tech hurler – going 1,016 2/3 innings in the circle.
The only career category she doesn't own? Earned run average, bested by Hall of Famer Lori Bayless with a 1.23 mark. Bynum ended her career with a 1.37 ERA, second best in team history.
Over the course of her highly-decorated career, Bynum threw six no-hitters, started 140 games in 193 appearances, recorded 19 saves, pitched in 102 complete games, threw 43 shutouts, and walked 205 batters to 1,021 strikeouts.
On nine occasions, she was named the OVC's Pitcher of the Week. All four years, she was named to the All-OVC team – three times as a first-teamer, once on the second team as a freshman. Three times, she was the OVC Tournament's Most Valuable Player. Twice she was Tennessee Tech's Co-Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year (once with Hall of Famer Emily Christian Hughes, the other with teammate Beth Boden) and the OVC's Pitcher of the Year. Once she was named to Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association's All-South Region Second Team roster and was the OVC's Female Athlete of the Year in 2006.
Over the course of her four seasons, the Tennessee Tech softball team finished 179-87. Bynum won 103 of those games. The team won two OVC regular-season titles in 2006 and 2007, as well as three OVC Tournaments, earning NCAA Regional bids to Athens, Ga. (2005), Knoxville, Tenn. (2006) and Tuscaloosa, Ala. (2007).
After graduating from Tech with a management degree in 2007, Bynum joined the coaching staff at Western Kentucky, then returned to Tennessee Tech in 2012.
The following season, Bynum was named the head coach of the Tech softball team and has held the role for five years with her contract recently extended for another three. She currently holds a 119-153 record, 63-55 in OVC play.
She helped guide the team to an OVC Tournament championship in 2015, earning a berth in the NCAA Regional at Auburn, Ala. There, the Golden Eagles fell to the host Auburn, beat Chattanooga, then saw their run end with a loss to South Alabama.
