Sabatella Joins Louisville Softball Coaching Staff

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville head softball coach Holly Aprile has announced that Bryan Sabatella will join her staff as an assistant coach.

"We are so proud to welcome Bryan to Louisville as a member of our staff and family!" said Aprile. "He is an exceptional individual and the epitome of a great teammate. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program and his background in leadership will be invaluable as well. Bryan is well-versed in all facets of the game and will contribute to our offense, defense, and mental preparation. His energy and passion for teaching the game is evident and I have no doubt that he will make an immediate and positive impact on our culture."

"I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of an amazing university, coaching staff and team," said Sabatella. "With the reputation for being a high-quality program, I look forward to helping Louisville softball anyway I can both on and off the field."

Sabatella comes to Louisville after two seasons at Utah Tech, where he served as the program's hitting and infield coach.

Most recently, he helped guide the Trailblazers to a 35-18 overall record and the 2023 Western Athletic Conference regular season title with a 19-5 mark in league play. The championship marked the first for Utah Tech which was in the third season of its NCAA Division I transition. The squad produced impressive offensive numbers in 2023, registering a .342 team batting average, standing second in the nation, and belted out 114 doubles with an NCAA-best 2.15 doubles per game.

In his first season with the Trailblazers, the team posted a .313 batting average, ranking 19^th in the national standings. Defensively, the infielders led the WAC in double plays turned.

During Sabatella's time in St. George, seven student-athletes earned all-conference honors including 2023 WAC Player of the Year Shea Clements and Freshman of Year Tanya Windle. Additionally, Utah Tech placed four on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region Team.

Before his stint at Utah Tech, Sabatella was a ninth-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners in 2005 and went on to play 11 years professionally with several different teams. He finished his playing career with a .299 batting average, 549 RBI and 354 stolen bases while winning two championships and being named to five all-star teams.

During the off season, Sabatella was a hitting and fielding instructor working with individual athletes as well as training entire teams in preparation for their seasons. He also spent some time working with the baseball team at his alma mater, Quinnipiac University, served as the hitting/defensive coach for Marin Catholic in 2020-21 along with being a head coach for the Bombers Baseball Organization.

In addition to more than 20 years of coaching experience, Sabatella also spent four years as a leadership and team building instructor where he traveled the country working with 30-40 collegiate and high school athletic teams annually.

As a collegiate athlete, Sabatella played baseball at Quinnipiac University from 2003-05. Over the course of his three-year career, he earned a .358 batting average, recorded 18 home runs and 88 RBIs. He was named to two all-conference teams, tabbed the 2005 Northeastern Conference Player of the Year and became the second Triple Crown Winner in conference history. He also helped the Bobcats win the 2005 NEC championship and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament.

The Wading River, N.Y., native earned his bachelor's degree in business management from Quinnipiac in 2012.

University of Louisville Athletics

Related News

Related Videos