Bio

Dawn Stearns is entering into her 15th season at the helm of the University of Bridgeport softball program in 2023-24.

The last four full seasons have brought great success for UB capturing a total of 122 victories with three conference titles and three NCAA appearances.

Last season, Coach Stearns moved into the top spot in all-time wins for a head Bridgeport softball coach, and she enters this season with a total of 273 career victories.

In 2021, the Purple Knights captured the first regular season title in program history and won an NCAA tournament game for the first time in over 30 years. 

UB softball is a leader in academics throughout all of NCAA softball. UBSB ended the 2019 season with a 3.776 GPA, the highest in the nation, and the Purple Knights continue that tradition today, as Coach Stearns’ philosophy of a great balance of high academic and great athletics performance has proven to be a success for the Bridgeport Softball program, as the Purple Knights consistently rank as one of the top programs in the classroom.

Over the past four seasons, UB softball had 20 players, including the 2023 CACC Rookie of the Year, the 2022 East Coast Pitcher and Rookie of the Year, and in the 2021 East Coast Conference Player and Pitcher of Year, along with 11 All-East Region selections plus an All-American and a nominee for last season's NFCA Freshman of the Year.

Stearns came to UB from Mitchell College in 2009, where she served as assistant coach and before that was assistant head coach at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Conn.  Along with her collegiate and high school experience, Stearns has led teams from Shoreline Sting and Outlaws programs since 2003.

Dawn is a graduate of Gettysburg College with a BA in Business and Economics. Stearns was a four-year starting catcher and All-Mid Atlantic Conference selection, who still holds the defensive record at Gettysburg with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.