Granville, Ohio—Kirstin Mapes, assistant softball coach at Hamilton College since 2021, has been selected as Denison's new softball head coach ahead of the 2027 season.
"Kirstin brings a highly relational approach, focused on team culture and student development, along with a strong Division III pedigree as a student-athlete at Williams and as an assistant coach at Hamilton," states Associate V.P., Director of Athletics Matt Tanney. "She is closely aligned with the holistic athletic experience we provide to Denison students."
During her tenure at Hamilton College as the assistant and pitching coach, Mapes coached two All-NESCAC and NFCA All-Region pitchers, as well as a total of 27 NESCAC All-Academic players. She took the lead alongside the head coach in designing and implementing practice plans for all positions and, on game day, crafted scouting reports for each opponent. Off the field, she played an integral role in introducing Connect 22, a fall initiative that strengthened off-field relationships with the team, as well as Hamily Day, a dedicated day each academic year during which softball student-athletes had the opportunity to share their experiences with the Hamilton community.
Mapes shared that she is passionate about building a culture rooted in strong relationships, continuous growth, and a commitment to excellence both on and off the field. She looks forward to building on the tradition and legacy of Denison Softball while pursuing new levels of excellence alongside our incredible student-athletes."
A native of Corona, California, Mapes had an impressive career as a pitcher at Williams College. In the circle, she struck out 129 batters in 171.1 career innings pitched and posted a 2.70 earned run average with a 21-2 record. She completed 14 of the 29 games she started, tossed five shutouts, and earned one save. At the plate, she hit .343 with a .401 on-base percentage and .590 slugging percentage in 113 games. She finished her career with 113 hits, including 20 home runs and 17 doubles, scored 54 runs, and drove in 80. Mapes helped Williams win 128 games, two NESCAC titles, three NCAA regionals, and two NCAA super regionals.
When asked about stepping into the Big Red's head coaching position, Mapes said she is grateful and humbled to be selected to lead the Denison Softball program. She extended a heartfelt thank you to Matt Tanney, Tiffany Ozbun, and the entire search committee for their faith in her to lead this team. Throughout this process, Denison's commitment to striving for excellence together has been apparent, and she is thrilled to be joining such a vibrant and burgeoning athletic department.
"Following the team's NCAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance this spring, it's an exciting next step for the future of the softball program. We're excited to welcome Kirstin to The Hill," shared Tanney.
