University of the Pacific

Brian Kolze was the head coach of the Tigers softball program for 32 seasons. With an all-time record of 824-797-2, the Lodi native earned his spot as the winningest coach in Pacific softball history. He ranked 28th among active NCAA Division I coaches in wins entering his final season in 2024.

In August 2021, Kolze was named to the NCAA Division I Softball Committee for the second time. He served on the committee that selected the 64 teams that advanced to the national championship and help coordinate the event. He was named to the committee in 2004 and served one year before stepping aside after he was named to a position with USA Softball.

Since joining Pacific in 1992, the Orange and Black made seven NCAA Regional appearances and earned the 2011 Big West Conference title.

Kolze came to Pacific in 1992 to build a top-25 program, and he accomplished the feat in just his second year in Stockton, leading Pacific to a 30-30 record in 1994. The Tigers were ranked in the top-25 for most of the 1994 season and broke the national rank mark once more during the 1996 season, finishing as high as No. 20 in the NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. Pacific made its first NCAA Regional appearance under Kolze during the 1998 season as he led the Tigers to a 19-10 record to earn his first Big West Coach of the Year award. The Tigers fell just two victories short of reaching the Women's College World Series that year.

Since then, Kolze has carried on a tradition of winning and excellence that has been evident across all of his programs during his two-decade coaching career.

While 2020 was cut short due to unprecedented circumstances, it was not for lack of on-field prowess. Kolze led the Tigers to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2013 and led his pitching staff to two of the shortened season's six West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week honors. Pacific highlighted its season with a 3-1 home win over the Mountain West favorite San Jose State, handing the Spartans just their fourth loss of the year through 23 games. 

The Tigers battled through adversity and pieced together a commendable 2018 season in the face of tough competition. Following a rough nonconference schedule of eight top-25 teams, Pacific found its stride during the second half of the year, going 9-6 in the conference and winning three out of five slated conference series. The Orange and Black also picked up a 6-0 nonconference win against Stanford (April 18). Pacific finished with an overall record of 20-27, having five student-athletes garner WCC All-Conference Team honors and two NFCA All-West Region honors.

A historic year for Pacific softball, Kolze's squad 2017 of 10 upperclassmen closed out the regular season on a nine-game win streak and 28-26 record, their best record since joining the West Coast Conference in 2013-2014. The Orange and Black also found their way as hosts for the play-in National Invitational Softball Championships (NISC). Six student-athletes were named to the WCC All-Conference Team, including WCC Co-Freshman of the Year and NFCA All-West Region recipient Hailey Reed. 

Following a solid nonconference outing to begin 2016, including a 2-1 upset against No. 3 ranked LSU to open up the year (February 13), Pacific's postseason hopes were cut short as it closed out the regular season with a record of 20-28 and 3-12 in the conference. Despite a disappointing end to the season, five players were named All-WCC recipients, including All-WCC Second team and NFCA All-West Region honoree Rachel Sellers. 

Kolze's Tigers had a challenging stretch to begin their 2015 campaign. Playing in three notable tournaments and facing notables such as Oregon State, No. 3 Alabama and No. 18 Washington, Pacific faced tough competition early on. After a rough start, the Orange and Black utilized their tough battles toward the latter half of the year, closing out WCC play with a 7-2 record for a strong finish. Pacific split a doubleheader midway through the season against Penn State (March 10) and stunned No. 9 Baylor in Cal State Fullerton's Judi Garman Classic, 6-3 (March 7). The Tigers finished with an overall record of 19-36, 7-8 in the conference. That year, Kolze had seven players recognized with All-WCC accolades. 

In 2014, Kolze oversaw the remarkable season of WCC Player of the Year Taylor Petty. Petty joined senior Gabby Goyette and sophomore Melanie Habib on the All-WCC First team, while sophomores Sara Anderson and Nicole Zapotoczny were named to the conference second team. The five All-Conference selections represent the most for Pacific since the 2012 campaign when nine Tigers picked up conference awards.

2011 Big West Coach of the Year, Kolze guided the Tigers to their first-ever Big West championship in 2011 after going 16-5 in conference play while posting a 37-19 overall record. With the conference championship, the Tigers picked up their 12th bid to the NCAA tournament and eighth under Kolze. Under the watchful eye of Kolze, the Tigers put a record number of players on the all-conference first team in 2011, as Pacific claimed seven spots on the Big West's top postseason team, one better than the previous record. The Tigers also set program and conference records in hitting during the championship campaign. Kolze guided the Tigers to a .323 average in 56 games, shattering the program's (.299) and Big West's (.311) previous records.

Kolze spent the summer of 2005 as an assistant coach for the US Softball National Elite team, which won a silver medal at the Canada Cup. Kolze also aided the US National Elite team to a gold medal at the Intercontinental Cup in Spain in July of 2005.

Kolze is a nationally known clinician, having sat on the legislative committee for the NFCA from 1993 to 1995. He served as chair of the NFCA All-America Committee from 1996 to 1999 and was a member of the NCAA Softball Rules Committee from 1996 t0 1999. From 2004 to 2005, Kolze was an NCAA Softball Championship Committee member.

Kolze is regarded as one of the finest recruiters in the country. He has recruited and coached All-Americans at UNLV, Sacramento State and Pacific.

Before coaching, Kolze played at nearby Tokay High School in Lodi, Calif. Also a Tiger at Tokay, he played baseball and soccer before attending San Joaquin Delta College.

Kolze played baseball at Cal State Northridge and received his degree in Journalism with a minor in political science. He played and coached for Stockton's Robertson Homes Class "B" men's fastpitch softball team, which finished third in the 1989 National Tournament.

Kolze married Mari Jo Milano in September of 2003. The couple has three children: Betsy, Mendy, and Beau.

The Brian Kolze File

Coaching Experience

Pacific Highlights

• 4x Big West Coach of the Year
• 2011 Big West Championship
• Six All-Americans
• 19 All-Region selections
• Eight NCAA Regional Appearances
• 642 wins in the Big West Conference, second-most all time
• 66 All-Big West/WCC selections
• Became Pacific's winningest coach on April 2, 2000, earning his 207th win with an 11-0 shutout at Utah State
• Set a school record with 50 wins in 2001
• 2001 NFCA All-West Region Coaching Staff of the Year
• Earned win No. 600 on March 27th, 2012 with a 5-0 shutout of CSU Bakersfield, 5-0
• Grabbed his 700th career victory on April 16th, 2016 in a 3-2 extra-innings win over Saint Mary's
• Coached the Tigers to program win No. 1,000 on April 22, 2011 with a 7-3 win over UC Riverside.

Coaching History