Softball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- softball@boisestate.edu
Justin Shults joined the Broncos on June 16, 2021 as the fourth softball head coach in program history.
In 2022, he guided Boise State to a 40-10 record, tying the school record for most wins in a season. The Broncos finished second in the Mountain West at 19-5, setting the program standard for conference victories in a season.
Boise State was nationally ranked or receiving votes for six weeks, earning a school-best No. 23. The Broncos won 31 games sway from home (neutral/road combined), second nationally to national champion Oklahoma. Boise State closed the season on a 12-game winning streak. Seven Broncos were named all-conference, including three on the first team.Â
The Broncos led the Mountain West in 11-statistical categories as a team and ranked first nationally in fielding percentage (.983), third in doubles per game (1.80) and fifth in scoring (7.08 runs per game). Boise State set school records for ERA (2.71), strikeouts (335) and strikeouts per seven innings (7.15).
In 2023, Shults led Boise State to a conference regular-season title. The team also received votes nationally for three-consecutive weeks. The Broncos finished 32-17 giving Shults 72-career victories, the most by a Bronco mentor through two seasons.
The Blue and Orange led the MW in six-statistical categories and were ranked third nationally in home runs per game (1.65), fourth in scoring (6.86), fifth in on-base percentage (.418) and fifth in slugging percentage (.568). The Broncos' on-base percentage, slugging percentage and 81 home runs each set school records.
Six Broncos were named All-MW, including three to the first team. Kelsey Hall was named Player of the Year in the conference and Shults took home Coach of the Year honors.Â
Boise State opened the 2024 campaign with a win over No. 20 Northwestern, one of four victories over Power 5 schools during the season. On April 21, the Broncos defeated Nevada in Reno for Shults's 100th-career victory. Boise State finished the season 36-23 and was runner-up in the Mountain West Championship.
Freshman Sophia Knight began her career with a 14-game hitting streak and reach base in her first 30 games. She finished the season with 85 hits to lead NCAA freshmen and rank fifth nationally. The outfielder batted .405 and was named Freshman All-American, the first in school history and second All-American overall.
Junior Mykenzie Hanna and sophomore Sydney Groves each belted 18 home runs to tie for the conference crown and 23rd nationally. Groves set the school record with 57 RBI.
In the circle, Taylor Caudill led the Mountain West in wins (19), innings (186 2/3), complete games (32), strikeouts (173) and strikeouts per 7 innings (6.5).
Shults spent 2019-21 as an assistant coach at Oregon and helped the Ducks reach a regional championship game in 2021. In addition to his time in Eugene, he has been an assistant coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State (2013-14), Miami, Ohio (2015-16) and Fresno State (2017-18).
Shults served primarily as the Ducks' hitting coach where he mentored Haley Cruse, a 2020 Softball America All-America Second Team selection who ranked in the top 20 nationally in hits and doubles during the 2021 campaign.
In 2020, five Ducks batted .350 or better and Oregon finished in the top 15 nationally in batting average, on-base percentage and runs per game. His first year in Eugene saw four players hit .300 or better with Cruse and Jasmine Sievers earning all-conference honors and Allee Bunker and Sievers garnering all-freshman accolades in the Pac-12.
At Fresno State, Shults helped the Bulldogs reach the NCAA Tournament in 2017 and directed an offense that hit 50 home runs and ranked fifth in the NCAA in on-base percentage (.410) during the 2018 season. Three position players were named All-Mountain West First Team and Hayleigh Galvan was an NFCA All-Pacific Region Third Team selection.
At Miami, Ohio, he was part of back-to-back 30-win seasons, a Mid-American Conference Tournament title (2016) and an NCAA Tournament berth (2016). In 2016, the Redhawks set school records for doubles (83), home runs (56), RBI (274), runs (302), runs per game (5.21) and walks (200). Taylor Shuey was the MAC Player of the Year in 2016, a first in program history.
During his tenure at Southwestern Oklahoma State, Shults coached six all-conference student-athletes.
A native of Valencia, Calif., Shults played baseball at UC Riverside. He was a two-time All-Big West selection and earned 2010 all-region and All-America honors. He set the school single-season record for RBI (62) and was drafted by the Houston Astros in 2011 before spending one season in professional baseball.
Shults earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from UC Riverside in 2011 and a master's of education in sport management from Southwestern Oklahoma State in 2013.
