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UPDATE: Ciolli Bartlett takes head-coaching job at Arizona State

david hughes, the tribune-star, terre haute, ind.
·6 min read

Jun. 24—Terre Haute native Megan Ciolli Bartlett has been named head coach for the Arizona State softball program, according to an announcement that came from the university late Tuesday night.

Arizona State is located in Tempe, Ariz. Bartlett replaced Trisha Ford, who took the head-coaching job at Texas A&M earlier this month. The Sun Devils, who compete in the Pac-12 Conference, posted a 43-11 overall record under Ford in 2022.

"Being chosen to lead the Arizona State Sun Devils is the opportunity of a lifetime," Bartlett told the Tribune-Star via text early Wednesday. "It's a perfect fit. I found an athletic department that believes in family, fostering a tight-knit culture and leading with passion.

"I met the team [Tuesday] night and they are as advertised — intelligent, talented and competitive. There's an infectious energy when they're all together. I cannot wait to lead them for years to come."

This past season, Bartlett helped lead an unseeded University of Texas team to its first Women's College World Series appearance as an assistant coach. She previously spent five years as head coach of the Ball State softball program.

"I am overwhelmed with gratitude," Bartlett said on thesundevils.com website. "I would also like to thank Mike White, Steve Singleton and the incredible team at the University of Texas. Their tireless efforts made this opportunity possible for me and my family."

In 2022, Bartlett helped guide Texas to its WCWS appearance against Oklahoma. The squad finished with a 47-22-1 record and No. 2 in the final USA Today/NFCA poll. Bartlett was a mastermind behind the success of the Texas' offense, with the program leading the nation in doubles (116) while setting school single-season records for doubles, runs scored (397), hits (560), total bases (906), RBIs (355), walks (224) and games played (70). UT rallied for an impressive 18 come-from-behind victories, posted 14 total wins over ranked teams and won its first six elimination games during its postseason run through the NCAA Seattle Regional, NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional and Women's College World Series.

In her first campaign with the Longhorns in 2021, Bartlett helped guide them to a 43-14 overall record, a No. 12 final ranking and a berth in the NCAA Stillwater Super Regional. The squad set program records for team batting average (.342 — third in NCAA Division I), slugging (.561 — seventh NCAA) and on-base percentage (.419 — fourth NCAA) while putting up top-five single-season totals for hits (512 — third NCAA), doubles (79), RBIs (338) and home runs (78).

At Ball State (2016-20), Bartlett led the program to a 141-108 overall record (.567) while registering three consecutive 30-win seasons from 2017-19. Over that stretch, she helped guide the Cardinals to the 2018 Mid-American Conference (MAC) West Division title with that season's 37 victories, marking the fourth-most wins in a single season in program history.

"As both a coach and a player, Megan has been exactly where we want, and envision, Sun Devil Softball — fighting for a national championship on softball's biggest stage in Oklahoma City. Her elite-level softball experience as head coach at Ball State and assistant coach at the University of Texas make her imminently qualified to lead our program into the future," said ASU Vice President of University Athletics Ray Anderson.

"In getting to know Megan, it was clear she shares the same values embodied in the 'Sun Devil Way' and is committed and excited to further instill a championship-winning culture at ASU. We're thrilled to welcome the Bartlett family to Sun Devil Nation and we're ready to get to work in the next era of our storied softball program under coach Bartlett."

During the abbreviated 2020 campaign, Bartlett's squad registered an 18-9 overall record while rating highly in the NCAA Division I team statistics for on-base percentage (26th — .405), scoring (32nd — 6.2), OPS (32nd — .908), homers-per-game (35th — 1.07), slugging percentage (35th — .503) and team ERA (37th — 2.22).

Over her five years in charge of the Ball State program, Bartlett mentored four National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Great Lakes Region selections, outfielder Rachel Houck (second team), designated player Madison Lee (second team), pitcher Nicole Steinbach (third team) and infielder Stacy Payton (third team). She also had players earn a combination of 12 All-MAC or All-MAC Freshman Team honors and 29 Academic All-MAC accolades to go along with six MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete inclusions.

Bartlett began her coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Loyola (2005-07), where she was part of the 2007 Horizon League Coaching Staff of the Year while helping her squad to the league's regular season title.

From there, she moved on to become an assistant coach at Northern Illinois (2007-12), working with infielders and outfielders while also serving as the recruiting coordinator, offensive coordinator and camp coordinator. During her stay at NIU, she guided Huskies hitters to multiple single-season records and helped tutor the squad to top 40 national rankings in 2011 in doubles (second — 1.81), batting average (24th — .312), scoring (33rd — 5.49) and slugging percentage (39th — .461).

After spending a single campaign at DePaul as a volunteer assistant for the 2014 Big East regular-season and tournament champions (44-11), Bartlett moved on to become an assistant coach at Purdue (2014-15). During the 2015 season with the Boilermakers, she served as the team's defensive coordinator, helping the squad improve its team fielding percentage from 10th (.956) all the way to third in the Big 10 (.970).

As a professional softball player, Bartlett was a part of two regular-season National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) championship teams (2005-06) with the Chicago Bandits.

Collegiately, Bartlett was a four-year letterwinner at Notre Dame (2002-05), helping power the Irish to four NCAA regional appearances, four Big East regular-season championships and two Big East tournament titles. A two-time NFCA All-American (2004, 2005), she captained the 2005 squad to a 46-15 mark while helping secure the program's first-ever NCAA regional home contests.

The 2004 Big East Player of the Year, Bartlett completed her playing career at Notre Dame as the program's leader in hits (284) and stolen bases (76), while finishing in the top five in batting average (second — .368) and runs scored (second — 161). She also finished ranked in the UND career top 10 in doubles (ninth — 37), triples (seventh — 9), HR's (ninth — 13) and RBIs (10th — 101).

Prior to her collegiate career, Megan Ciolli was a three-sport standout in softball, basketball and soccer at Terre Haute North High School. Following her senior year in 2001, she was named Indiana Miss Softball as well as the Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year.

Bartlett graduated from Notre Dame with a bachelor's degree of business administration in managerial consulting in 2005. She completed her master's of business administration in healthcare administration at Loyola in 2007 and went on to earn a juris doctor from Northern Illinois in 2012.