Steve Singleton, who helped Texas win the 2025 NCAA championship, is the ninth head coach of the California softball program, Co-Directors of Athletics Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-O'Neill announced Monday.
 
Singleton, an Oakland native who attended Bishop O'Dowd High School, joins the program after spending the past six years with the Longhorns - originally serving as an assistant coach from 2019-22 before being elevated to associate head coach in September of 2022. He played a key role in guiding Texas to five consecutive NCAA postseason appearances (2020–25), including five Super Regionals, three Women's College World Series (WCWS) appearances (2022, 2024, and 2025), two NCAA runner-up finishes (2022 and 2024), and the program's first-ever national championship in 2025. In recognition of his impact, Singleton was named D1Softball's Assistant Coach of the Year in 2024 and was part of the ATEC/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2025.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome Steve back to the Bay Area and introduce him as the head coach of our softball program," Larson and Simon-O'Neill said. "His proven track record of success, along with his passion, leadership and commitment to developing student-athletes on and off the field, makes him the perfect fit to lead our team. We're confident that under Steve's leadership, along with our new stadium opening in 2027, our softball program is positioned to become one of the premier programs in the nation."
 
A former professional baseball player in the Minnesota Twins organization, Singleton brings well over 15 years of both playing and coaching experience to the program.
 
Before his time at Texas, Singleton spent two seasons as a hitting coach for the Fort Myers Miracle (Single-A), where he helped propel the team to a Florida State League title in 2018. He played an integral role in developing player routines using data-driven approaches to aid player development along with player processes - mental game and mindset. Additionally, he prepared daily scouting reports on opposing pitchers and hitters for the manager and position players; collaborated with coaching staff and front office to design player development plans; supported Major League spring training by assisting with batting practice, cage work, and dugout responsibilities; contributed to the evaluation, movement, and placement of high-level prospects across the organization; and served as interim minor league manager when needed. He went on to serve as the U.S. hitting coach for the 2018 MLB All-Star Futures Game and spent time working with hitters, infielders and outfielders during the Minnesota Twins spring training in 2019.
 
In 2016, Singleton led the offensive development for the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Twins, now named the Florida Complex League Twins. During his stint, he served as the first-and third-base coach, trained infielders on daily skill development while playing a hand in implementing and teaching the team's system (plays, ideology and team culture) to entry-level minor-league players. He also assisted the front office and minor league staff in implementing organizational objectives.
 
At the collegiate level, he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida Southwestern State College in 2015, where he helped land a recruiting class that featured four MLB draft picks and 10 NCAA Division I transfers. He also led hitting development and theory and infield and outfield defense. Other duties included running the team's speed and agility programs, budgeting, travel planning, assisting with scheduling, supervising weight training sessions, and handling camp scheduling and marketing while also coaching first base on gamedays.
 
"I'm extremely excited to lead the Cal Bears softball program," Singleton said. "I am immensely thankful to Jay Larson, Jenny Simon O'Neill and (Associate Athletics Director) Gordon Bayne for their help through the process. I'm very grateful and thankful to Texas for the opportunity they have given me over the last six years. With all that said, I am extremely excited about what we can accomplish in Berkeley. I think with the new stadium, the investment and support of the department, in-state recruiting and the degree offered by Cal - mix all that with a great location - and it's primed to be a special place."
 
Singleton played collegiately at San Diego for three years before entering the MLB draft in 2006. An 11th-round pick by the Minnesota Twins, he played 654 career games from rookie to AAA levels as a shortstop and second baseman. During his six-year professional career, Singleton accumulated a .282 batting average while garnering three consecutive Minor League All-Star nods (2008-10), was a 2009 Arizona Fall League participant and was invited to MLB spring training in 2010. He led the Appalachian League in both batting average (.340) and triples (5) during the 2006 season, while he was tied for second in MiLB in doubles (43) in 2010.
 
Singleton obtained both a bachelor's degree in sports management in 2014 and then a master's degree in athletic administration in 2017 from Southern New Hampshire University.
 
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