Hubbard Joins Kansas Softball Staff
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas softball head coach Megan Smith announced the addition of T.J. Hubbard to her staff on Wednesday afternoon. Hubbard takes over the role of the Jayhawks’ hitting coach among other duties after associate head coach John Rittman took a position at Florida.
“We are extremely excited to welcome T.J. and his family to Lawrence,” Smith said. “T.J. has a tremendous amount of experience leading some powerful offensive teams and I am excited to see what his expertise will do for our hitters. He is a true student of the game, has a passion for hitting, and is a great communicator with players. He is also a tireless worker both on and off the field. All of these things make him a perfect fit for our Jayhawk softball family.”
Hubbard comes to Lawrence after two seasons as the associate head coach for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. Prior to his stint in Lafayette, Hubbard spent six seasons as the head coach at North Texas.
“My family and I are extremely excited to join the Kansas softball program,” said Hubbard. “I am grateful for the opportunity that Coach Smith and Dr. Zenger have provided me. Coach Smith has established a winning tradition and the future is bright under her direction. I look forward to assisting Coach Smith and Coach Sims in the continued success of the Jayhawks.”
Last year with the Ragin’ Cajuns, Hubbard aided in Louisiana returning to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament. On the year, Louisiana hit .346, which was among the top 10 batting averages in the nation, while recording 116 home runs, 68 doubles and 398 RBIs. Hubbard assisted with the Ragin’ Cajuns offense that led the country in home runs per game (2.15) and finished the season second in scoring (8.15 runs per game) and slugging percentage (.652).
In his first season with the Ragin’ Cajuns, Hubbard helped the squad to their sixth Women’s College World Series, sweeping the Sun Belt regular season and tournament titles. In the NCAA Tournament, No. 6 Louisiana took down Texas Southern and Texas in the Lafayette Regional before defeating national power Arizona in the Lafayette Super Regional for its first trip to Oklahoma City since 2008.
At North Texas, Hubbard led a Mean Green program that became one of the top teams in the Sun Belt Conference before their departure following the 2013 season. He finished his career at North Texas with a 161-161-1 record, setting program records in both wins and winning percentage.
In his initial campaign leading North Texas (2008), Hubbard set a school-record 27 wins and the best finish at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. He would later break that record twice, winning 29 games in both 2010 and 2013.
Under his tutelage, 19 North Texas players were named All-Sun Belt, including a school-record three players in his final season. He coached 10 All-Sun Belt selections and one All-Central Region First Team selection (Mariza Martinez) in his six years at the head of the program.
He was named the head coach at North Texas in 2008, after serving the previous four years as an assistant coach. Prior to his time at North Texas, he was an assistant coach at Seminole State College in Seminole, Oklahoma. As an assistant, he helped lead Seminole State to a 64-16 record in 2004, a NJCAA Region II championship and a third-place finish in the NJCAA National Championships.
A 2002 graduate of Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Hubbard received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and sports management. At OWU, he was a three-year letterwinner for the baseball team as a second baseman.
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