Nicole Bellini, who has served as assistant coach of the New York University softball team for the previous two seasons, has been elevated to Interim Head Coach.
The announcement was made by Director of Athletics Jake Olkkola on Thursday.
"I am confident that Nicole is the right person to lead this team as interim head coach for the 2025 season," Olkkola declared. "Her familiarity with the players, the program, and the softball community will ensure a smooth transition. I believe she will bring stability and focus as we move forward.
Bellini joined NYU as an assistant coach in October 2022 prior to the 2024-25 season. Last season, the Violets posted an 8-28 record under former Head Coach Now-Allah James, ending the campaign with a doubleheader sweep over Hunter College on May 2.
Bellini helped produce a pair of University Athletic Association (UAA) honorees during the campaign, as both
Madi Hand and
Lindsey Baron earned Second Team accolades. A total of 12 student-athletes earned UAA All-Academic honors.
Lily Candelaria and
Jessie Werthman received Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar awards, while Hand, Werthman,
Emily Stone, and
Lizzy Smith were cited as Academic All-District by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
In her first season on the staff, Bellini helped lead the Violets to a 19-19 record, including six wins against UAA opponents. Ten players received UAA All-Academic honors and
Samantha Burggraf (infield) and
Margaux Lesser (infield) were named to the All-UAA Second Team.
Bellini served as the Head Softball Coach at her alma mater, Baruch College, from 2020-22. Under her guidance, the Bearcats finished third in the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) standings as she took home CUNYAC Coach of the Year honors.
"I am extremely appreciative that our Athletic Director Jake Olkkola and Senior Associate Director Janice Quinn had the faith to elevate me and give me this opportunity," Bellini said. "I am excited to continue to earn their confidence as we build on the work the team has done this fall."
A 2018 Baruch graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems and a Psychology minor, Bellini played for the Bearcats for three seasons, was a three-time CUNYAC All-Star, three-time MVP, and all-time leader in batting average (.406).
A year before going to Baruch, Bellini attended NCAA Division I Fairleigh Dickinson University, was a member of their softball team and made the Northeast Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Bellini is a native and resident of Staten Island.
