North Carolina State University Athletics
Softball Adds Beitia to Coaching Staff
9/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. NC State head softball coach Lisa Navas announced today the addition of new assistant coach Jim Beitia to the Wolfpack coaching staff. A 24-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, Beitia arrives in Raleigh after spending the past three seasons as the director of softball for reigning national champion Arizona State.
“Everything happens for a reason, and we are honored to welcome Jim aboard,” said Navas. “He’s one of the most highly regarded and respected coaches in the softball community, and I have no doubt that his experience and previous accomplishments will only help this program as we continue to grow and improve with each season.”
“I’m very excited to join the strong program at NC State,” said Beitia. “Coach Navas has a great reputation throughout the country, and she’s already built a solid program in only a handful of years. I look forward to working alongside both her and Leigh Ann Ellis as this program continues to grow by leaps and bounds.”
Beitia has head coaching experience of his own at two universities (Oklahoma and Tennessee), as well as the Spanish national team. Like Navas, Beitia was the architect of the program at Tennessee, starting the program from scratch in 1995. In all he has coached more than 25 former student-athletes who have established coaching careers.
Beitia’s coaching career began as an assistant at Cal State Sacramento from 1984-87. He then moved to Norman, Okla., to serve as an assistant for the Sooners from 1988-91, before standing as the interim head coach in 1992. Beitia resumed his assistant role for the 1993 season before being named head coach in 1994. The Sooners posted a 98-41 record with Beitia filling out the lineup card, making an appearance in the NCAA regional finals during his last season.
In 1995 he was tabbed by Tennessee to start up its softball program. He spent six seasons at UT and compiled a 233-163 record. In 1999 the Volunteers were co-champions of the SEC Eastern Division and made the NCAA regionals for the first time in school history. Current Wolfpack pitching coach Leigh Ann Ellis signed for and played under Beitia in Knoxville.
After leaving Tennessee, Beitia coached the Spanish National Team for two years and was the head coach of the California Sunbirds in the National Pro Fastpitch League. In 2005 he returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant at Jacksonville for one year before moving on to Arizona State.
Outside of the collegiate world, Beitia has been a vital cog in the effort of teaching and instructing softball. He has written and published two books, Outfield Play and The Complete Softball Book, as well as several articles for Softball Digest. He is also an accomplished speaker, and has been featured at several camps and clinics on both the international and national levels.
In 1995 Beitia worked for Major League Baseball International as the softball delegate during a tour of Netherlands alongside current Tampa Bay Rays head coach Joe Madden and St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan.
Beitia graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Cal State Sacramento in 1981 after getting his associate’s degree in business administration from San Joaquin Delta College in 1978, where he was a member of the wrestling and track squads. A native of Stockton, Calif., Beitia earned numerous honors while playing shortstop on the ASA Men's Major Fastpitch circuit from 1976-85 before beginning his illustrious coaching career.
Beitia Coaching History
1984-87 Cal State Sacramento (assistant)
1988-91 Oklahoma (assistant)
1992 - Oklahoma (interim head coach)
1993 Oklahoma (assistant)
1994 Oklahoma (head coach)
1995-2001 Tennessee (head coach)
2002-03 Spanish National Team (head coach)
2004 California Sunbirds {National Pro Fastpich} (head coach)
2005 Jacksonville (assistant coach)
2006-08 Arizona State (director of softball)
“Everything happens for a reason, and we are honored to welcome Jim aboard,” said Navas. “He’s one of the most highly regarded and respected coaches in the softball community, and I have no doubt that his experience and previous accomplishments will only help this program as we continue to grow and improve with each season.”
“I’m very excited to join the strong program at NC State,” said Beitia. “Coach Navas has a great reputation throughout the country, and she’s already built a solid program in only a handful of years. I look forward to working alongside both her and Leigh Ann Ellis as this program continues to grow by leaps and bounds.”
Beitia has head coaching experience of his own at two universities (Oklahoma and Tennessee), as well as the Spanish national team. Like Navas, Beitia was the architect of the program at Tennessee, starting the program from scratch in 1995. In all he has coached more than 25 former student-athletes who have established coaching careers.
Beitia’s coaching career began as an assistant at Cal State Sacramento from 1984-87. He then moved to Norman, Okla., to serve as an assistant for the Sooners from 1988-91, before standing as the interim head coach in 1992. Beitia resumed his assistant role for the 1993 season before being named head coach in 1994. The Sooners posted a 98-41 record with Beitia filling out the lineup card, making an appearance in the NCAA regional finals during his last season.
In 1995 he was tabbed by Tennessee to start up its softball program. He spent six seasons at UT and compiled a 233-163 record. In 1999 the Volunteers were co-champions of the SEC Eastern Division and made the NCAA regionals for the first time in school history. Current Wolfpack pitching coach Leigh Ann Ellis signed for and played under Beitia in Knoxville.
After leaving Tennessee, Beitia coached the Spanish National Team for two years and was the head coach of the California Sunbirds in the National Pro Fastpitch League. In 2005 he returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant at Jacksonville for one year before moving on to Arizona State.
Outside of the collegiate world, Beitia has been a vital cog in the effort of teaching and instructing softball. He has written and published two books, Outfield Play and The Complete Softball Book, as well as several articles for Softball Digest. He is also an accomplished speaker, and has been featured at several camps and clinics on both the international and national levels.
In 1995 Beitia worked for Major League Baseball International as the softball delegate during a tour of Netherlands alongside current Tampa Bay Rays head coach Joe Madden and St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan.
Beitia graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Cal State Sacramento in 1981 after getting his associate’s degree in business administration from San Joaquin Delta College in 1978, where he was a member of the wrestling and track squads. A native of Stockton, Calif., Beitia earned numerous honors while playing shortstop on the ASA Men's Major Fastpitch circuit from 1976-85 before beginning his illustrious coaching career.
Beitia Coaching History
1984-87 Cal State Sacramento (assistant)
1988-91 Oklahoma (assistant)
1992 - Oklahoma (interim head coach)
1993 Oklahoma (assistant)
1994 Oklahoma (head coach)
1995-2001 Tennessee (head coach)
2002-03 Spanish National Team (head coach)
2004 California Sunbirds {National Pro Fastpich} (head coach)
2005 Jacksonville (assistant coach)
2006-08 Arizona State (director of softball)
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