By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The year 1999 was a good one for both the Bridgewater State and Massasoit Community College softball teams.

The Bears won the NCAA Division 3 New England Regional championship while the Warriors prevailed in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 21 tournament.

It would be more than a decade, however, before either Massasoit or BSU celebrated regional titles again, their long droughts coming to an end last spring and this season, respectively.

In both cases, Brockton native Chrissy Semler was in the middle it all, first coaching the Warriors to their Region 21 crown a year ago, then leading the Bears to an NCAA regional championship this past weekend in Wellesley.

Semler, who was hired at BSU last July after being the head coach at Massasoit for two seasons, has provided the right touch to both programs that had waited since ’99.

“That’s pretty cool,’’ said Semler, who was a sophomore at Avon High School back in 1999. “When we won the championship at Massasoit, it was the first since ’99 and now it’s the first here since ’99. I was like, ‘That’s a funny coincidence.’ ’’

Semler, a college head coach for three years, has put together back-to-back successful seasons at different schools.

After reviving Massasoit in rapid time, Semler took over a BSU team with just four returning starters and 12 freshmen and has put together a 32-12 season that continues on Thursday in a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional.

The Bears are hosting defending national champion and top-ranked Tufts University at 4 p.m. at Alumni Park. The series continues at 1 p.m. on Friday with the winner advancing to Tyler, Texas, for the nationals.

“It’s definitely real exciting,’’ said Semler, who teaches college psychology courses. “At Massasoit, we worked hard and did a lot of recruiting and rebuilt the program.

“It was definitely a different experience than at Bridgewater where we were picked to win the MASCAC. Winning the MASCAC almost felt like a relief than excitement. Then the regional, it was an incredible thing to be there, never mind win it.’’

Semler, the MASCAC coach of the year, is having success as a college coach after being unable to play softball in college due to injuries.

She attended Curry College as a freshman, but after the fall season, her career ended before it began due to a severe wrist injury as well as ankle and foot ailments. Semler transferred to Bridgewater State after that and got her start in coaching softball in the Brookfield Little League in Brockton.

“I started giving pitching lessons and got involved with the Brookfield Little League,’’ said Semler. “They said they needed someone to coach a senior league team and then they said they needed someone to be the player agent.

“My freshman year of college, I ended up being the player agent, coaching a senior league team and giving pitching lessons. That’s where I fell into coaching because I was injured and couldn’t play anymore.

“The first team I coached, we wound up winning the league and it was a rewarding experience and I really enjoyed it. It was kind of like in the back of my mind maybe it was something I could do on the side.’’

After playing softball throughout the years, it was difficult for Semler to have to give up the sport because of all the injuries.

“It was life altering,’’ she said. “I’ve lived a pretty good life and don’t have any regrets, but one thing I go back to is I wish I could have played in college. It was a huge lifestyle change for me. I joke that softball was my first major.’’

Instead of playing, Semler stayed with the game through coaching, joining the Massasoit staff when Marty French was the head coach and eventually taking over the program in 2012.

“It’s definitely the closest thing you can get to playing,’’ said Semler of coaching. “You have a different perspective. The rewarding aspect of it is being able to see the players improve and have them have experiences.

“To get to see them win a championship (last weekend), it makes everything worth it. It’s nice when it all comes together and you see them enjoying themselves.’’