Kyle Jamieson, a native of Stittsville, Ontario, was named head softball coach at Furman on June 13, 2012.
In his first year at the helm of the Paladin program that had posted a 35-70 record over the previous two seasons, Jamieson directed Furman to a 27-27 worksheet, including a victory over Southeastern Conference foe South Carolina. Jamieson followed a strong inaugural season by helping Furman to just its second winning season in a decade and to its first back-to-back seasons of .500 or better in 15 years by going 29-26 with a 12-8 mark in Southern Conference play.
The 2015 season saw Jamieson guide Furman to a 32-25 record as the Paladins topped 30 wins for the first time since 2000. Shortstop Sieara Bishop garnered SoCon Player of the Year honors and the Paladins established a new single season school record for home runs with 53.
This past season, Jamieson helped Furman post back-to-back 30-win campaigns for the first time since 1994-95 and secure a .500 better record for the fourth consecutive season for the first time since 1992-95 as the Paladins finished 33-28 en route to reaching the SoCon Tournament finals and finishing second in the regular season standings. The 2016 squad hit .301 while totaling a school record 99 doubles and clubbing a single season school record 59 home runs. Rightfielder Candace Johnson belted 15 home runs to establish a new individual single season mark. She also drove in 12 runs at the SoCon Tournament to set a new record for the event, while Sieara Bishop recorded a new tournament-high with 13 hits. Johnson and first baseman AnnaRose Borrelli garned first team All-SoCon honors, while Lindsey Bert was selected to the second team as a pitcher and utility player.
This past summer, Jamieson joined the USA Softball staff and helped the Americans claim goal at the WBSC Softball World Championship in Surrey, British Columbia. He was a part of the U.S. National Team staff for the World Cup of Softball and also participated in several training camps with the program during 2016.
Jamieson took the reigns of the Paladin softball program after serving as assistant coach at Fordham University during the 2011 season where he helped guide the Rams to a 32-26 overall record, 14-6 league mark, second place finish in the Atlantic 10 Conference and an 8-5 victory over eventual national champion Alabama in the regular season finale. Under Jamieson’s guidance, the Rams paced the Atlantic 10 with 54 home runs and ranked second in the league in runs scored (236), doubles (63) and walks (169).
“Every college team that Kyle Jamieson has worked with has gotten better,” said Clark, when announcing the hiring of Jamieson. “He has the technical knowledge and communication skills necessary to be a top head coach. We are fortunate to have someone with his skill and experience leading our softball program.”
Jamieson’s pitching staff at Fordham posted a 2.35 ERA, ranked second in the Atlantic 10 with 466 strikeouts and issued a league-low 84 walks last season. The Rams placed five players on the All-Atlantic 10 First Team, including pitcher Jen Mineau, who fashioned a league-best 1.62 ERA under Jamieson’s tutelage and earned third team Capital One Academic All-America honors.
Jamieson began his college coaching career as an assistant at the University of Toledo during the 2000 season. After serving as assistant coach with the Danish Men’s National Team in 2001, he returned to NCAA softball at Bowling Green in 2003, helping the Falcons to the 2004 Mid-American Conference championship while leading the MAC in ERA in each of his three seasons with the program. Along the way, Jamieson coached both the MAC Tournament MVP and MAC Player of the Year.
Hired as associate head coach at Syracuse University prior to the 2007 season, Jamieson made an immediate impact with the Orange by guiding a pitching staff coming off of a 4.88 ERA the previous season to a 3.35 ERA in 2007. During his tenure, Jamieson cut Syracuse’s team ERA in half as the staff finished the 2009 campaign with a 2.42 ERA. Under Jamieson’s watch, Syracuse pitcher Jenna Caira was named 2009 Big East Rookie of the Year and a member of the third team all-conference.
Prior to joining the coaching staff at Fordham in the fall of 2011, Jamieson spent two seasons helping to rebuild the University of Arkansas softball program. In his first season in Fayetteville, he helped the Razorbacks lower the team ERA from 4.75 the previous season to 3.67 in 2010.
Jamieson, 41, grew up playing men’s fast pitch softball and helped pitch the Canadian National Team to the 1993 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand. He was named the Male Gold Card Athlete of the Year by Softball Ontario in 1993, and also was named one of Ontario’s Elite Athletes by that organization. The next year, he was inducted into the Goulbourn Township Sports Wall of Fame. Jamieson was also a member of the 2003 Kemptville Thunder Fastpitch squad that claimed the silver medal at the ISC World Championships.
Jamieson earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Brock University in 1997 and a bachelor’s degree in education from Nipissing University in 1998.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT FURMAN’S KYLE JAMIESON...
“Coach Jamieson will bring a legitimate wealth of knowledge of fastpitch softball to the Furman softball program. Any time you can get a coach that not only has had success with some of the best collegiate pitchers in the game but also a coach that has played at the highest level you have to consider yourself lucky. The student athletes at Furman should be excited to have Coach Jamieson as he strives to bring Furman into the national picture again.”
Ken Eriksen
Head Coach
University of South Florida/United States National Team
“Furman made an excellent choice when selecting Kyle Jamieson as its new head softball coach. Kyle has tremendous passion, knowledge and love for the game. Furman is not only getting a great coach, but also a great person. He is very much deserving and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Bridget Orchard
Head Coach
Fordham University
“I think Kyle is a rising star in the college softball ranks and will do a fantastic job at Furman University. As a player, he had a great career and he is bringing that passion and excitement to the game as a coach. I think Furman has hired a true winner who has a plan to build a successful softball program.”
Patrick Murphy
Head Coach
University of Alabama
“Kyle has a great passion for the game and I know he will work hard to help each player reach their potential as well as bring success to the program.”
Sandy Pearsall
Head Coach
University of Louisville
“Furman is hiring a great softball mind in Kyle. He brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong ability to train the softball athlete in all phases of the game. He has a proven record of attracting quality student-athletes at every stop of his coaching career and is deserving of this opportunity. Kyle’s passion and commitment to the sport and his athletes will build momentum for Furman Softball immediately.”
Shonda Stanton
Head Coach
Marshall University
