Softball

CCNY Names Joe Burbridge Head Softball Coach

Release courtesy CCNY Athletic Communications

NEW YORK – The City College of New York Department of Athletics and Recreation has announced the hiring of Joe Burbridge as the Head Coach of the newly relaunched CCNY Softball program.

Burbridge arrives at CCNY with more than 15 years of collegiate head coaching experience and a proven history of building successful programs and developing student-athletes at the NCAA Division II level. Across his collegiate coaching career, Burbridge has compiled 494 career wins, including three Coach of the Year honors, seven NCAA Tournament Appearances, four Conference Tournament Championships, seven Regular Season Championships Champion and 100% Graduation Rate

"I'm honored to join The City College of New York and have the opportunity to build the softball program from the ground up," said Burbridge. "This is an exciting opportunity to establish a culture of excellence, recruit outstanding student-athletes, and create a program that reflects the pride and tradition of CCNY Athletics. I'm excited to get started and help grow the game in New York City."

He most recently served as Interim Head Softball Coach at John Jay College in 2024, leading the Bloodhounds to a CUNYAC Championship and NCAA Tournament berth. Burbridge spent the majority of his coaching career at Dominican College (now Dominican University New York) in Orangeburg, New York, serving as head coach from 2007 to 2022. During his tenure, he transformed the Chargers into one of the premier programs in the region, compiling a 420-280-1 overall record and a 273-85 mark in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play.   

"Joe's experience, leadership, and sustained success make him the ideal person to launch our softball program and lead us into this exciting new chapter for CCNY Athletics," said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Duane Bailey. "His commitment to competitive excellence, student-athlete development, and program building aligns with our vision as we continue to expand opportunities and strengthen the future of CCNY Athletics."

Under his leadership, Dominican qualified for conference postseason play in all twelve eligible seasons and earned a top-three conference seed in ten of those campaigns. His teams captured four CACC regular-season championships (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013) and three conference tournament titles (2010, 2011, 2012).

Burbridge also guided Dominican to five consecutive NCAA Regional appearances from 2009 through 2013, which remain the only NCAA regional appearances in program history.

In 2016, Burbridge earned his first Conference Coach of the Year honor after leading the Chargers to a 30-16-1 overall record and a 22-4 conference finish.

A significant milestone in his coaching career came on April 4, 2019, when Burbridge recorded his 400th career victory with a 16-6 win over Felician.

Prior to Dominican, Burbridge spent one season as head coach at Adelphi University in 2007, where he led the Panthers to a 39-13 overall record and an 18-2 conference mark. The 39 victories established a school record as Adelphi captured the ECC regular-season championship and earned a berth into the NCAA East Regional. That team also climbed to No. 8 nationally in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) rankings.

Burbridge earned his Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Ramapo College in 2000 and later completed a Master's Degree in Education from Seton Hall University.

The launch of CCNY Softball will begin with club competition during the 2026–27 academic year, serving as the foundation for the program's transition to NCAA Division III varsity competition in 2027–28. As a varsity member, CCNY will compete in a newly formed Division III conference featuring eight current CUNY Athletic Conference institutions alongside Saint Elizabeth University and Pratt Institute, creating a regional league centered on institutions across the greater New York City area.
For the latest news on the CUNY Athletic Conference, log on to cunyathletics.com – the official site of the CUNY Athletic Conference. Also, become a follower of the CUNYAC on Instagram (@CUNYAC), X (@CUNYAC), Threads (@CUNYAC) and YouTube (@CUNY Athletic Conference), and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (CUNY Athletic Conference). 

Sign up to receive the latest CUNY Athletic Conference news delivered right to your email inbox HERE.