Ashley Balazs enters her fourth season as head softball coach at Pittsburg State University. She has compiled a 59-77 overall record including a 28-28 mark in MIAA play.
The Gorillas posted an 11-17 record in 2020 before the season was suspended due to the worldwide Covid-19 health pandemic. Pitt State had won five of its last seven games prior to the stoppage.
Pitt State posted a 22-33 record in Balazs' initial season (12-14 MIAA) in 2018 and the Gorillas posted a 26-27 mark in 2019 (14-12 MIAA). Pitt State earned the No. 7 seed in the MIAA Postseason Tournament in 2019.
Balazs came to Pitt State after spending three seasons as assistant coach at NCAA Division I member Evansville University in Evansville, Ind. She played a key role in recruiting, hitter development and scouting for the Purple Aces. The Evansville staff earned 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Coaching Staff of the Year honors and the Purple Aces finished in the top five in conference play for the first time since 2007 this past season in 2017.
Balazs went to Evansville after spending the 2014 season as the head coach at Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wis. In a short time frame, she made a significant impact, improving the squad by 12 wins from 2013. She also led the team to a 108-run improvement in run differential while coaching three All-Conference players.
Prior to Viterbo, Balazs spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at NCAA Division II member University of Indianapolis. She coached two Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshmen of the Year, two Player of the Year winners, three first-team All-Americans as well as a Pitcher of the Year in the GLVC.
In each of those years, UIndy was ranked in the top two in the nation entering postseason play and advanced to the NCAA-II Super Regionals in 2013. She was part of a coaching staff that was named the GLVC and Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2012 and 2013.
Balazs, a Lenexa, Kan., native who prepped at Shawnee Mission West High School, started all four years of her college career as a catcher or an outfielder at NCAA Division II member Drury University. In addition to being an Academic All-GLVC honoree, Balazs finished her playing career ranked first in Drury history in six offensive categories: hits (171), RBIs (92, tie), doubles (34), total bases (228), walks (60, tie) and at-bats (665).
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