Jeremy Manley Joins Softball Coaching Staff

MUNCIE, Ind. - - Jeremy Manley, a world-champion pitcher and native of New Zealand, will join the Ball State softball program as an assistant coach according to head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett. Manley will serve as the Cardinals' pitching coach.

"I am thrilled to welcome Jeremy, his wife, Ali, and their two children, Josie and Wyatt, to the Cardinal softball family," Ciolli Bartlett said. "Jeremy is a perfect fit for our staff and the program itself. He was an exceptionally talented pitcher in his own right, but he is also an excellent coach. His multitude of experiences will allow him to take our already talented pitching staff and teach them how to win championships."

An assistant at Kansas last season, Manley already has a track record of coaching success in the Mid-American Conference, helping develop one of the most dominating pitching staffs in conference history at Ohio from 2017-18.

"I am beyond excited to join the Ball State softball program," Manley said. "I want to thank Coach Bartlett for giving me the opportunity to build on her success here. We have a lot of talented pitchers in the program and I cannot wait to help them develop and reach their full potential."

Ohio's offensive coordinator during his two-year stint in Athens, Manley also assisted with the pitching staff which produced a 1.98 ERA in 2017 and led the league with 541 strikeouts, 201 more than any other program in the conference. His second season was no different, as the Bobcats produced a 2.51 ERA which was second in the MAC, trailing only Ball State's 2.48 mark. Ohio's pitchers once again led the MAC in strikeouts in 2018, fanning 410 batters.

Ohio registered an 82-35 overall record during his time on staff, including winning the 2018 MAC regular season and tournament championships to earn a berth in the 2018 NCAA Knoxville Regional. The 2017 Bobcats recorded the first 40-win season in program history (42-18), while the 2018 squad earned the second (40-17). The 2018 team also claimed the first two NCAA regional wins in program history with a 4-0 shutout over Monmouth and a 7-3 victory over James Madison.

On offense, he helped the Bobcats set program records for hits (452) and doubles (90) during the 2017 season, as well as produce the second-most runs scored (269) and RBIs (246). In 2018, his batters slugged a program-record 57 home runs and produced a .317 batting average in MAC play.

Along with the team accolades, Manley worked with a pair of MAC Pitchers of the Year in Savannah Jo Dorsey and Danielle Stiene. Ohio's student-athletes also earned 11 All-MAC and 13 Academic All-MAC honors during Manley's two seasons, while the coaching staff was named the 2018 NFCA Division I Mideast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.

Prior to his arrival at Ohio, Manley was a volunteer assistant at Illinois for the 2015 season where he worked with both the offense and pitching staff. Before joining the NCAA Division I coaching ranks, Manley served as a coach and pitching instructor in New Zealand and Central Illinois, ranging from private individual lessons to high school and junior college level coaching.

Manley was a World Champion pitcher as an athlete, leading the New Zealand Men's National Team, also known as the Black Sox, to the International Softball Federation Men's Fastpitch World Series title in 2013. For his efforts in the circle, Manley earned the Kevin Herlihy Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Pitcher, the only individual honor awarded at the event. The world championship followed a second-place finish at the 2009 ISF Men's World Series.

A Black Sox member since 2006, Manley was named Softball New Zealand Pitcher of the Year four times (2006, 2010, 2011, 2013) and played in tournaments in Japan, Australia, Argentina, Samoa, Canada and New Zealand. Manley was also named International Softball Congress All-World three times, including first team selections in 2009 and 2010, and earned Amateur Softball Association All-America selections in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014 and 2015.

Beyond his play with Black Sox, Manley won New Zealand Men's Open Club Championships in 2006 and 2010 with Hutt City United and the Hutt Valley Dodgers, respectively. Following his second championship, he was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player and Pitcher, and the Dodgers named him Sportsman of the Year and their Most Valuable Pitcher.

Manley graduated from Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand, in December 2013 with a Bachelor's of Science in exercise science with an emphasis on management and coaching. A full scholarship student-athlete, he was a three-time Massey University Blues Award winner, the highest sporting accolade given in the NZ tertiary system.

Jeremy and his wife, Ali, have two children, Josie and Wyatt.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSB.

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