ASU Softball: Jimmy Kolaitis joins Sun Devil coaching staff

Former University of Alabama at Birmingham coach Jimmy Kolaitis has been hired as an assistant coach on Trisha Ford’s coaching staff.

The veteran comes to Arizona State with more than 20 years of coaching experience, with stops at UAB, Oregon, the Chicago Bandits, South Alabama, and Troy along the way.

“We are extremely excited to have Jimmy join our staff,” said Ford in a release from Sun Devil Athletics. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and will be a huge asset for us from the recruiting standpoint. He will continue our focus on getting the best local talent here to ASU and has extensive ties across the nation. Jimmy is well known in the softball world, but more importantly, his current and former players love playing for him.”

Kolaitis has made four Women’s College World Series appearances as an assistant with Oregon while working alongside former Ducks head coach Mike White, who is now at the helm in the Big-12 coaching the Texas Longhorns.

Prior to that, he worked as an assistant in the National Pro Fastpitch League, coaching various international softball stars such as five-time NPF Pitcher of the Year and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Monica Abbott.

An Alabama native who graduated from Troy University, Kolaitis also was an assistant at South Alabama, where the Jaguars went 173-95-1 over two seasons in 2012-13 and won back-to-back Sun Belt Championships. The success allowed them to host a regional in 2013.

Furthermore, Kolaitis has past experience as a Director of Operations at his alma mater from 2004-08, and he’s coached baseball as well, helping Lee Scott Academy in Auburn, AL.

Kolaitis joins the ASU softball program after a departure this offseason, as former Sun Devil assistant coach Carly Wynn joined the University of Minnesota staff in late May.

Now in Tempe, Kolaitis will look to make his mark with ASU’s players alongside Ford and fellow assistant Jeff Harger.

“I am extremely excited about coming back to the Pac-12. I’m also very grateful to Coach Ford for allowing me this opportunity at ASU,” Kolaitis said in the release. “I have known this staff for quite a while and know that they are great coaches and even better people. I look forward to this new journey and helping this program get to another national championship.”