Kirin Kumar (pictured) has been selected as the new softball coach at Ohio State University. Photo courtesy of Ohio State University Athletics
The Buckeyes officially have a new softball coach.
Ohio State has hired Kirin Kumar as the program’s next head softball coach, just 21 days after parting ways with former head coach Kelly Kovach-Schoenley, the athletic department announced Tuesday.
“I am honored to have been selected to lead the Ohio State softball team,” Kumar said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “What I felt immediately during the interview process was that Ohio State truly is a blend of top-tier athletes and world-class talent. I look forward to getting started quickly and building on Ohio State’s tradition of excellence.”
Prior to signing with Ohio State, Kumar served as the head coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for four years. In those four seasons, Kumar compiled a record of 174 wins, 56 losses and one tie and was named Mid-American Conference (MAC) Coach of the Year twice. Kumar also led the Redhawks to four consecutive MAC regular season titles and an NCAA Tournament appearance each of those seasons.
“We are excited to welcome Kirin to the Buckeye family,” said executive associate athletic director Mike Penner in an emailed statement, also Tuesday. “What she has accomplished in a relatively short time at Miami has been remarkable. As I’ve gotten to know her along the way, her passion for the game and the student-athlete experience has shone through. The future is bright under her leadership.”
Last season, Kumar led Miami to a team-record 49 wins, which marked the first time the softball team had ever been ranked in the national polls.
Prior to Miami, Kumar served as an assistant coach at six different universities from 2006 to 2020. A native of Santa Ana, California, Kumar played collegiate softball at Georgia Tech and was a four-year letterman with the Yellow Jackets.
