TEMPE – Sun Devil Softball has added Josh Bloomer to the coaching staff, head coach Megan Bartlett announced on Thursday. Bloomer makes the move to Tempe after spending last season at the University of Arizona.
"I could not be more excited to introduce Josh Bloomer as our new recruiting coordinator and hitting coach," Bartlett said. Coach Bloomer is not only one of the top hitting coaches in the country and a seasoned recruiter, but he is also an outstanding person and a perfect fit for our culture. Our values are closely aligned – family and hard work are at the core. Inviting Josh to join the program was a no-brainer."
Bloomer will fill the role that opened when Jimmy Kolaitis departed the program to accept a job in athletic administration closer to his home in Alabama.
Bartlett shared, "We wish Jimmy and Jes nothing but the best as they embark on their next adventure. Jimmy is a dear friend, and the program owes him a debt of gratitude for his loyalty, commitment and hard work throughout his years as a Sun Devil. As we look forward to the future and all the successes to come, Jimmy will always be a part of that. He will certainly be missed."
With Bloomer as the team's hitting coach, Arizona finished 12th in the NCAA in batting average and 15th in scoring, on-base, and slugging. The Wildcats were also 17th nationally in home runs per game while advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals.
Before joining the staff in Tucson, Bloomer spent one season as the hitting coach at South Carolina. Under Bloomer's guidance in 2023, the Gamecocks finished with a 40-22 record – a 14-win improvement from their 26-30 record in 2022 – and made their first postseason appearance since 2019. The Gamecocks ended the year ranked third in the SEC in doubles after ranking 12th in 2022.
Prior to South Carolina, Bloomer spent three seasons at Duke, helping lead the Blue Devils to the 2021 ACC Tournament title and being named to the 2021 and 2022 NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year.
During his time at Duke, the Blue Devils had a 111-27 record and ranked in the top five of the ACC in batting average in each of his three seasons. In 2022, Duke hit .330 to rank second in the ACC and ninth in the NCAA – the highest batting average in the program's history. Duke ranked first or second in the ACC in all offensive categories in 2022, highlighted by leading the conference in home runs per game (1.76), slugging percentage (.610), on-base percentage (.417), and scoring (7.16). Duke's scoring and slugging percentage ranked third in the NCAA.
In 2021, Duke led the ACC in doubles (79) and triples (15) under Bloomer's guidance and ranked fifth in the conference with a .271 batting average. The Blue Devils won their first ACC Tournament Championship with a 44-12 record and earned the No. 13 seed in their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
In the shortened 2020 season, Bloomer helped Duke rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in several offensive categories with a .319 batting average (26th), a .528 slugging percentage (19th), 44 doubles (15th), 0.37 triples per game (21st), and 6.59 runs per game (19th).
Before coaching at Duke and South Carolina, Bloomer had coaching stints at Louisville Male High School and Mercy Academy in Louisville. At Louisville Male, Bloomer led the softball program to a 458-147-4 record in seven seasons, highlighted by winning the NFCA and Kentucky state championship titles in 2019, six regional championships, and state runner-up finishes in 2015 and 2017.
Bloomer served as the head softball coach at Mercy Academy from 2005-12 and led them to the Kentucky state championship in 2012.
Bloomer graduated from the University of Kentucky, earning his master's in education in 2002.
"I could not be more excited to introduce Josh Bloomer as our new recruiting coordinator and hitting coach," Bartlett said. Coach Bloomer is not only one of the top hitting coaches in the country and a seasoned recruiter, but he is also an outstanding person and a perfect fit for our culture. Our values are closely aligned – family and hard work are at the core. Inviting Josh to join the program was a no-brainer."
Bloomer will fill the role that opened when Jimmy Kolaitis departed the program to accept a job in athletic administration closer to his home in Alabama.
Bartlett shared, "We wish Jimmy and Jes nothing but the best as they embark on their next adventure. Jimmy is a dear friend, and the program owes him a debt of gratitude for his loyalty, commitment and hard work throughout his years as a Sun Devil. As we look forward to the future and all the successes to come, Jimmy will always be a part of that. He will certainly be missed."
With Bloomer as the team's hitting coach, Arizona finished 12th in the NCAA in batting average and 15th in scoring, on-base, and slugging. The Wildcats were also 17th nationally in home runs per game while advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals.
Before joining the staff in Tucson, Bloomer spent one season as the hitting coach at South Carolina. Under Bloomer's guidance in 2023, the Gamecocks finished with a 40-22 record – a 14-win improvement from their 26-30 record in 2022 – and made their first postseason appearance since 2019. The Gamecocks ended the year ranked third in the SEC in doubles after ranking 12th in 2022.
Prior to South Carolina, Bloomer spent three seasons at Duke, helping lead the Blue Devils to the 2021 ACC Tournament title and being named to the 2021 and 2022 NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year.
During his time at Duke, the Blue Devils had a 111-27 record and ranked in the top five of the ACC in batting average in each of his three seasons. In 2022, Duke hit .330 to rank second in the ACC and ninth in the NCAA – the highest batting average in the program's history. Duke ranked first or second in the ACC in all offensive categories in 2022, highlighted by leading the conference in home runs per game (1.76), slugging percentage (.610), on-base percentage (.417), and scoring (7.16). Duke's scoring and slugging percentage ranked third in the NCAA.
In 2021, Duke led the ACC in doubles (79) and triples (15) under Bloomer's guidance and ranked fifth in the conference with a .271 batting average. The Blue Devils won their first ACC Tournament Championship with a 44-12 record and earned the No. 13 seed in their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
In the shortened 2020 season, Bloomer helped Duke rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in several offensive categories with a .319 batting average (26th), a .528 slugging percentage (19th), 44 doubles (15th), 0.37 triples per game (21st), and 6.59 runs per game (19th).
Before coaching at Duke and South Carolina, Bloomer had coaching stints at Louisville Male High School and Mercy Academy in Louisville. At Louisville Male, Bloomer led the softball program to a 458-147-4 record in seven seasons, highlighted by winning the NFCA and Kentucky state championship titles in 2019, six regional championships, and state runner-up finishes in 2015 and 2017.
Bloomer served as the head softball coach at Mercy Academy from 2005-12 and led them to the Kentucky state championship in 2012.
Bloomer graduated from the University of Kentucky, earning his master's in education in 2002.