MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University head softball coach Bill Triplett announced he is retiring, effective at the end of the 2017 season.

The announcement ends Triplett's 10-year run with his alma mater that featured 298 wins, two trips to the NAIA National Tournament and one bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

"About this time last year, I started to think about it," Triplett said. "The main focus is family. It will be wonderful for my wife (Kara) and me to coexist in the same house. It's not that I don't love it here at Minot State, I have loved my job and the city of Minot, but I felt it was time to be there for the family and for the boys.

"I'm really looking forward to the next chapter of my life. I will be able to go to the river and sit on the bank with my family or go bowling or to a movie with them – it's a great feeling."

Triplett finished his coaching career with a 298-172 record in 10 seasons and coached MSU teams in five national tournaments as he was an assistant coach for the women's basketball team during two runs in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament.

"Those are the things that have been going through my mind since finalizing this," Triplett said. "The biggest things have been the times that we had on trips like that, they were so fun and so funny. I sometimes forget how many relationships you make and how important the people were."

Minot State finished the 2017 season 25-22 overall and earned a spot in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Softball Tournament for the third time in Triplett's five seasons in the league. While he made his intentions known before the final weekend of the season, he felt it was important to not lose sight of the present season.

"It was a really tough decision, but once I told the team and some of the other people, it was like a weight lifted off my chest," he said. "It's was very important for me to be there for the team. I wanted to send our seniors out on a high note. Each senior class (leaving) is hard, you really build those relationships. I'm really proud of all the athletes I worked with. No one remembers the games won and all that, but you remember those relationships.

"I've been working my tail off to build the best team I can for whoever Minot State chooses to replace me. We could be really good next year and that has been my main focus, I wanted to make sure this year's team continues to get better for next year."

MSU will began the search for its next head coach immediately.

"I support Bill's decision to be with his family," said MSU Director of Athletics Andy Carter. "He has earned the opportunity to make this decision. Bill is a valued member of our staff and a respected member of our community. He will be missed."

Triplett thanked multiple individuals during this time at MSU, but felt a couple were especially important to him.

"I really want to thank Rick (former MSU Athletic Director Rick Hedberg) and Dr. Fuller (former MSU President David Fuller) for hiring me and for Sheila (former MSU head women's basketball coach Sheila Green Gerding) to take a chance on me to bring me back to my alma mater," he said. "I think the university is in great hands with Dr. Shirley (MSU President Steven Shirley) and it's going to be fun to come back and watch the team a couple times next year."

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.