Austin College has picked a coach with a national championship on his resume to rebuild its softball program.
The Sherman school named Kevin Blaskowski head softball coach after a national search, athletics director Michelle Filander announced Wednesday, Oct. 7. He takes over from Brandon Johnson, who left the job in July to pursue other professional opportunities, according to an earlier college release.
"I am grateful to Austin College to offer me an opportunity to return to college softball," Blaskowski said in the announcement. He said he wants to build a program with players who excel "on the playing field, in the classroom, and in the community."
A long head-coaching record
Blaskowski has been a college head coach for 25 years at the NCAA Division II and NAIA levels, with a career record of 819-523, the college said.
His best-known stretch came at West Texas A&M in Canyon, where he coached from 2005 to 2017 and went 467-246. The 2014 team finished 60-7 and won the NCAA Division II national championship. According to the release, WTAMU is one of only five Division II programs to post 60 wins and a national title in the same season.
From 2010 through 2017, his Lady Buffs went 381-111, the best record of any NCAA program in Texas over that span, the college said. They made seven NCAA postseason trips and won four Lone Star Conference titles and three conference tournament championships. The 2016 team went 59-5 and placed fifth at the Division II championship.
His honors include 2014 national coach of the year awards from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and Captain U, two NFCA South Central Region awards (2014 and 2016) and three Lone Star Conference coach of the year awards (2010, 2014 and 2016). He also shared Gulf South Conference coach of the year honors in 2000.
The college said his teams led the nation in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage from 2015 through 2017. He coached 16 Division II All-Americans, including the Ron Lenz National Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015, plus three Academic All-Americans. His teams kept a grade point average of 3.0 or better for 11 straight years.
