Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech softball team welcomes Josh Johnson as the new Assistant Softball Coach, head coach Pete D'Amour announced on Thursday. Johnson will join the Hokies after four seasons at Mississippi State.
"There are a lot of variables that go into hiring an assistant coach. Experience, player development, recruiting, organization, compatibility with players and coaches, and a shared vision of where we think Virginia Tech softball has the potential to grow were the most important things for me," D'Amour said.
"Josh possesses everything I was looking for in an assistant. He's been an associate head coach for a Super Regional team, his players improve year after year, he's always learning and he fits our culture. There aren't many pitching coaches in the country that utilize and are as versed in technology as Josh," D'Amour said. "We've added one of the premier pitching coaches in the country to our program. We're excited to welcome Josh, Jenny, Jake, and Jumbo Jett to the Hokie Softball family"
As the associate head coach for the Bulldogs, Johnson helped transform the pitching staff, as well as serving as MSU's recruiting coordinator. From 2019 to 2023, he helped reduce the staff ERA from a 3.36 to 2.66, walks per game from 4.44 to 2.45 and increased strikeouts per game from 5.65 to 8.49.
In his first season in 2020, the Bulldogs' staff ERA sat at 1.36 which was ranked fourth nationally. In the circle, Mississippi State set school records in strikeouts per seven innings (9.27), fewest hits allowed (102) and opponents' batting average (.158). After finishing last in the SEC with 130 walks in 2019, the Bulldogs' pitching staff finished fourth with just 58 walks. The Bulldogs were second in the SEC in both strikeouts (245) and opponent's batting average (.158).
The 2022 season saw Mississippi State's pitching staff strike out 98 batters looking, which was second in the SEC and third in MSU history. Mississippi State's 410 total strikeouts were fourth in the SEC. Johnson's pitchers were instrumental in the Bulldogs reaching their first Super Regional in program history, defeating the Seminoles twice in the Tallahassee Regional.
Following the 2022 season, pitcher Annie Willis was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 WPF Draft by the Smash It Vipers, marking the fourth Bulldog to be chosen in a professional draft.
Under Johnson's development, Josey Marron ranked seventh in the SEC in strikeouts per seven innings during the 2023 season and fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Mississippi State pitching staff was also fifth in the SEC in strikeout-to-walk ratio with 375 total strikeouts.
Prior to his time at Mississippi State, Johnson spent four seasons as a member of Ball State's softball staff, where the Cardinals posted a 123-99 overall record during his time there. Ball State won the 2018 MAC West Division Title and the pitching staff maintained a staff ERA below 3.00 each season. The 2018 season saw a program-best ERA since 2010 with a 2.48, adding 328 strikeouts.
Johnson also spent time as the pitching coach at Louisiana from 2013-2014, making an NCAA Super Regional appearance with a 47-15 overall record. He helped increase the staff strikeout total by 122 from the previous season and increased ace Jordan Wallace's strikeout total by 215 from the previous season. She was ranked third nationally with 382 strikeouts.
As the head softball coach at Faulkner Sate Community College (2010-13), Johnson saw the two highest finishes in program history, including the school's first state championship appearance, posting a 119-60 overall record during his time there. Under his guidance, the program broke every team and individual batting, base running and pitching record in program history, as well as produced 14 NJCAA All-Americans.
Johnson was a four-year letterwinner and 1998 First Team All-Conference selection in baseball at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where he earned his bachelor's in psychology in 2000 and his master's in Applied Psychology in 2003. While at Mississippi State, Johnson was pursuing his doctorate in biomechanics while working on research with Mississippi State's Athlete Engineering department utilizing motion capture technology.