Coaches

Kristen Hunt

Kristen Hunt will begin her fourth season as the Rutgers University-Newark softball coach in 2019 .


Last season, R-N rebounded with a 21-win campaign and an improved 7-11 mark in the always tough New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). The Raiders qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament but fell to NYU on Alumni Field in the first round. Individually senior Kelly Yusko and freshman Julie Contravo earned first team All-NJAC awards while senior Morgan Walizer received an honorable mention.


In 2017, the Scarlet Raiders earned 15 victories but failed to qualify for postseason play. Hunt guided Yusko to a first-team All-NJAC honor while Yusko and two teammates also earned honorable mention nods for the NJAC All-Academic Team.


In her first year at the helm, Hunt led Rutgers-Newark to its best season in program history. The team racked up 21 wins and closed the spring by winning five of its final six contests to earn a first-ever berth in the ECAC Metro/Upstate Championship Tournament.


Hunt comes to Newark after time at Division I Central Connecticut State University, Division II University of Bridgeport and Division III Wheaton College.


“Kristen has a wide-ranging and diverse coaching background and is someone that I think is going to do great things for our softball program,” said Griffin. “She has experience at all three levels of intercollegiate athletics and has consistently been part of successful programs as a player and coach over the course of her young career.”


Hunt graduated from Wheaton (Mass.) in May of 2011 and was an NFCA All-Region pick that same season. A two-year team captain and 2011 all-conference performer, Hunt immediately headed to Bridgeport in her home state as an assistant coach (2011-2014). As a member of the Knights’ staff, she had her hands in all aspects of the program, developing a strength and conditioning program, planning and running individual practices and much more.


After three seasons at UB, Hunt moved on to CCSU in January of 2014 and helped guide the Blue Devils to the 2015 Northeast Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. While at Central, Hunt played a major role in all recruiting, travel, budgeting, team academic performance, community service, university and NCAA compliance, etc. During that time, the Blue Devils compiled an overall record of 60-30 and a winning percentage of .667, making deep postseason runs in both campaigns.


A two-sport standout at Wheaton, Hunt graduated with a B.A. in Psychology (Minor in Sociology). While at Bridgeport and Central Connecticut, she also worked for the Connecticut Center for Child Development as a Senior Instructional Assistant.


“I am honored to join the Rutgers-Newark community and would like to thank Mr. Griffin for this opportunity to lead the softball program,” said Hunt. “I feel Rutgers-Newark is a special place that is fully committed to its student-athletes and has so much room to grow. I am extremely excited to continue my career as a Scarlet Raider and cannot wait to get started.”