Melissa Bieman Named Assistant Softball Coach

Dec. 11, 2014

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Melissa Bieman has been named assistant softball coach at Seton Hall University, Thursday it was announced by head coach Paige Smith. Bieman, who most recently served as the top assistant at Columbia University, will assume the same role at Seton Hall and work primarily with the program's pitching staff.

"Melissa is a great compliment to us, not just in what she is bringing in terms of her knowledge of the game, but she is relaxed and has a really laid back approach with the athletes," said Smith "Because of her coaching background, working with some smaller staffs, she gets to work with a lot of different facets of the game regarding offense and defense, and I am looking forward benefiting from that experience."

"I first met Missy during my first year of assistant coaching at Lewisburg College and she was an assistant coach at Briar Cliff College, and I remember facing their team and being impressed with how prepared they were," added Smith "Ever since then, I've been thinking, `I have to get her on my staff somehow,' so it is nice to finally have her on my team instead of having to face her."

Bieman spent the last three seasons at Columbia, working with the Lions' pitching staff while also serving as the program's recruiting coordinator. After just two seasons on the job, she turned the Columbia pitching staff into one of the best units in the Ivy League, where it ranked second in the league with a 2.76 earned run average and 236 strikeouts.

Last year, Columbia enjoyed the best season in program history, finishing 22-22 overall while competing for the Ivy League South Division Title, finishing second in the standings.

Prior to joining the staff at Columbia, Bieman was the head assistant softball coach at Stony Brook University. The Seawolves experienced a great deal of success during Bieman's tenure, with school-record setting performances by the pitching staff playing a critical role in that run.

During her time with Stony Brook, the team set four program records, including lowest team earned run average (2.36), most wins (36) and individual saves, and most strikeouts in a game.

Led by America East Pitcher of the Year Alyssa Struzenberg, Stony Brook won the America East championship in 2008 and advanced to the NCAA Softball Regionals in Tempe, Ariz. The following season, the Seawolves won the conference's regular season championship, and they were the runner-up in the American East tournament in 2010.

Bieman began her Division I coaching career at Binghamton University, where she was an assistant coach for the 2005-06 season, developing pitching and hitting practice schedules and workouts, in addition to assisting with recruiting efforts and the strength & conditioning program.

Her collegiate playing career began at Florida Community College at Jacksonville, where she played from 1998-99, posting a 23-4 record with a 0.26 earned run average while earning All-State and All-Conference accolades after each season. From there she went on to play two years at Syracuse University, where she recorded the first hit, shutout and home run in program history, starting every game in 2000.

Bieman's professional career included stints in New Zealand and Canada. She played for the Waitakere Bears in the New Zealand Women's Premiere Softball League, being named league MVP in 2001. Bieman also played for the Kitchener Krush of the Candadian Senior Women's Fastpitch league, winning championships in 2006 and 2009.

A native of Ontario, Canada, Bieman was selected to try out for the Canadian National team in 2002 and 2003.

She graduated from Syracuse in 2001 with a bachelor of science in consumer studies with a concentration in sports marketing.