Fresno State Athletics
Stacy May-Johnson named Fresno State softball coach
7/2/2021 8:18:00 AM | Softball
FRESNO, Calif. – Stacy May-Johnson has been named the fifth head coach in Fresno State softball history, Director of Athletics Terry Tumey announced Friday. May-Johnson spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Utah Valley University. Her coaching career also includes stops at Eastern Kentucky, Purdue University, the University of Louisville, and the University of Iowa.
"After an extensive national search, it became clear that Stacy May-Johnson was the right person to lead our softball program into the future," said Tumey. "Throughout her career, both as an athlete and a coach, she has been a proven winner and a dynamic leader of young women who will make a tremendous impact on our program academically, athletically, and in our Valley community. Her commitment to the holistic student-athlete experience is commendable, and we are excited for our softball student-athletes, and the Red Wave, as we begin the Coach May-Johnson era."
In her two seasons as head coach at Utah Valley, May-Johnson accumulated an overall winning percentage of .507, compared to an average program winning percentage of just .322 in the five seasons prior to her arrival. The 24 wins the Wolverines racked up in 2021 were the programs most since 2013.
"I want to thank President Jimenez-Sandoval, Terry Tumey, David Hall and the rest of the Fresno State community for this opportunity," May-Johnson said. "I'm excited to lead the proud Bulldog program and build upon the incredible history that so many former legends have established. I look forward to getting out on the field with our current student-athletes and working toward our next championship."Â
Prior to her time in Orem, she served as the associate head coach at Eastern Kentucky for two seasons (2018, 2019). During her stint as the associate head coach at EKU, the Colonels garnered 80 wins over the two seasons that May-Johnson was on staff under long-time EKU head coach Jane Worthington. The Colonels won a 2018 Ohio Valley Conference championship after winning a school-record 45 games. Eastern Kentucky touted a third-team All-American, five All-Region selections and 10 All-Ohio Valley Conference picks during her time in Richmond.
As a player, May-Johnson was a standout infielder for the Hawkeyes and a three-time All-Big Ten selection.
May-Johnson played professionally for the Chicago Bandits of the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch).
She spent five years in the NPF and was a two-time NPF MVP with the Bandits. She was also the 2006 NPF Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star and led the Bandits to two championships. May-Johnson is one of just six players to have her number retired with Chicago. She led the NPF in home runs, hits and runs scored in each of her MVP campaigns in 2008 and 2010.
While she spent her summers playing professionally, May-Johnson began her coaching career as a student assistant at Iowa in 2007.
She went on to become a volunteer assistant at Louisville from 2008-10 before she returned to her alma mater from 2011-14, when she helped the Hawkeyes produce two All-Region and 10 All-Big Ten selections.
May-Johnson would return to Louisville in 2015 and help lead the Cardinals to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a second-place finish in the ACC in 2016. Louisville collected two All-Region and seven All-ACC honorees while she was on staff. She spent the 2017 season at Big Ten Purdue.
The Reno, Nev. native comes to the Valley with international experience under her belt. As a member of the women's national team, May-Johnson helped Team USA win a gold medal at the Pan American Games, a World Cup of Softball Championship, and a silver medal at the Canadian Open Fast Pitch International Championship in 2011. She was named the 2011 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year.
May-Johnson, a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, graduated from the University of Iowa in 2007 with an B.S. in physics and a B.A. in accounting. She earned a master's in physics from the University of Louisville in 2009.
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"After an extensive national search, it became clear that Stacy May-Johnson was the right person to lead our softball program into the future," said Tumey. "Throughout her career, both as an athlete and a coach, she has been a proven winner and a dynamic leader of young women who will make a tremendous impact on our program academically, athletically, and in our Valley community. Her commitment to the holistic student-athlete experience is commendable, and we are excited for our softball student-athletes, and the Red Wave, as we begin the Coach May-Johnson era."
In her two seasons as head coach at Utah Valley, May-Johnson accumulated an overall winning percentage of .507, compared to an average program winning percentage of just .322 in the five seasons prior to her arrival. The 24 wins the Wolverines racked up in 2021 were the programs most since 2013.
"I want to thank President Jimenez-Sandoval, Terry Tumey, David Hall and the rest of the Fresno State community for this opportunity," May-Johnson said. "I'm excited to lead the proud Bulldog program and build upon the incredible history that so many former legends have established. I look forward to getting out on the field with our current student-athletes and working toward our next championship."Â
Prior to her time in Orem, she served as the associate head coach at Eastern Kentucky for two seasons (2018, 2019). During her stint as the associate head coach at EKU, the Colonels garnered 80 wins over the two seasons that May-Johnson was on staff under long-time EKU head coach Jane Worthington. The Colonels won a 2018 Ohio Valley Conference championship after winning a school-record 45 games. Eastern Kentucky touted a third-team All-American, five All-Region selections and 10 All-Ohio Valley Conference picks during her time in Richmond.
As a player, May-Johnson was a standout infielder for the Hawkeyes and a three-time All-Big Ten selection.
May-Johnson played professionally for the Chicago Bandits of the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch).
She spent five years in the NPF and was a two-time NPF MVP with the Bandits. She was also the 2006 NPF Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star and led the Bandits to two championships. May-Johnson is one of just six players to have her number retired with Chicago. She led the NPF in home runs, hits and runs scored in each of her MVP campaigns in 2008 and 2010.
While she spent her summers playing professionally, May-Johnson began her coaching career as a student assistant at Iowa in 2007.
She went on to become a volunteer assistant at Louisville from 2008-10 before she returned to her alma mater from 2011-14, when she helped the Hawkeyes produce two All-Region and 10 All-Big Ten selections.
May-Johnson would return to Louisville in 2015 and help lead the Cardinals to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a second-place finish in the ACC in 2016. Louisville collected two All-Region and seven All-ACC honorees while she was on staff. She spent the 2017 season at Big Ten Purdue.
The Reno, Nev. native comes to the Valley with international experience under her belt. As a member of the women's national team, May-Johnson helped Team USA win a gold medal at the Pan American Games, a World Cup of Softball Championship, and a silver medal at the Canadian Open Fast Pitch International Championship in 2011. She was named the 2011 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year.
May-Johnson, a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, graduated from the University of Iowa in 2007 with an B.S. in physics and a B.A. in accounting. She earned a master's in physics from the University of Louisville in 2009.
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