Mar 26, 2010 9:00:40 AM

Three coaches recently joined a still relatively small group of 600-game winners in Division III softball.

Cortland State's Julie Lenhart reached the milestone March 13, followed three days later by William Paterson's Hallie Cohen and again on March 19 by Ithaca's Deb Pallozzi.

Only 10 Division III coaches previously had attained the milestone, and only six of those coaches currently are active in the division.

Lenhart, who entered her 21st season with a 599-277-1 record, won No. 600 in Cortland State's opening-weekend game against La Verne during the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Division III Leadoff Classic in Florida.

She is in her 16th year with the Red Dragons after starting her head-coaching career in 1990 with a five-year stint at Wisconsin-Platteville. Lenhart has led nine Cortland State squads to Division III Softball Championship appearances, including five regional crowns.

Cohen, whose William Paterson squad beat Fontbonne March 16 in Kissimmee, Florida, is in her 31st season as a head coach and 16th season at William Paterson.

She collected 195 of her wins during her first coaching job at FDU-Florham, where she coached softball and field hockey for 15 years beginning in 1980. She also coached field hockey at William Paterson for nine years, in addition to leading the Pioneer softball team to two NCAA regional championships.

Pallozzi collected her milestone win in an Ithaca victory over Bowdoin in Clermont, Florida.

She is in her 24th season as a head coach, including a two-year stint (1987 and 1988) at Rensselaer. Under Pallozzi, Ithaca has appeared 13 times in the NCAA championship, winning the national title in 2002 and claiming regional crowns in six other appearances.