MidAmerica Nazarene University Director of Athletics Kevin Steele announced Lee Dobbins as the next head softball coach. 

"We are incredibly pleased that Lee has chosen to join our Pioneer family," Steele said. "Lee is well-known nationally and internationally as one of the finest minds and coaches in women's softball. He is passionate about serving the Lord and doing so through his role as coach/mentor. He brings a high energy and high expectations into the position, and I can't wait for our ladies to have the opportunity study under his tutelage. Lee has coached successfully at multiple levels, and those who know him best have already expressed their excitement for success for the MNU program in the near future. I concur; Lee will have an immediate positive impact on our program and our university."

For the last year, he has been owner and director of Dobbins Softball Consulting & Development, an internationally known business that develops students through camps, clinics, and athlete education.

Prior to DSCD, Dobbins worked as assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at the University at Buffalo in the 2014-2015 season.

"I want to thank President David Spittal and Director of Athletics Kevin Steele for this extraordinary opportunity and the faith they have put in me to lead their softball program and student-athletes," Dobbins said. "When I was exploring a possible return to collegiate coaching, it was important to me to find a match both spiritually and personally along with the dynamic of a great institution and staff. When visiting campus and meeting with the people of MNU, I could immediately tell this was a special place with people that genuinely care for where they are and what they do on a daily basis. I do not believe in coincidence, but I do believe in God's plan and knew he was guiding me toward MNU and the outstanding people here. I am excited about the opportunity to come here and help guide our student-athletes both spiritually and academically. We want to develop individuals that are not just good softball athletes, but great human beings. We want them to have a memorable and positive experience both academically and athletically in their time at MNU. While doing all this, we will also be developing a softball program that will be the elite of the conference and regionally recognized, while also competing each and every year on the national stage."

During two seasons at Emory University, Dobbins helped the Eagles amass a 76-10 overall record while working with the offense and outfield and assisting with the team's pitching staff helping them to a 1.43 ERA in 2012.

Prior to his stint at Emory, Dobbins served as an assistant coach at Division I University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2010-2011, where he worked with the offense and pitchers and catchers while also serving as recruiting coordinator. In 2011, he helped the Lady Mocs to an overall record of 44-14 that set a school single-season record with a winning percentage of .759 and claimed the school's 12th Southern Conference regular season championship and 11th SoCon Tournament title. Dobbins played an instrumental role in aiding a pitching staff that achieved honors and featured the first place finisher in saves in the NCAA with eight in 2011, in addition to the SoCon Player of the Year award winner who led the Lady Mocs with an 18-6 won-lost mark in the circle. He also worked with the hitters in the most prolific offense in UTC history that led the nation in total offense in all of Division I that year.

During the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons, Dobbins was an assistant on the Austin Peay State University staff where he handled the recruiting coordinator duties along with working with the offense and hitters and coaching the pitchers and catchers. In his first year with the Lady Govs, the team's ERA dropped from 5.75 to 3.59 while the mounds corps struck out an average of two more batters per game.

Dobbins' head coaching experience began at Lander University during the 2005-2006 season when the Bearcats went 27-28-1. He also served as head softball coach at Texas A&M International in Laredo, Texas, in 2007-2008.

Before landing the head coaching spot at Lander, Dobbins gained experience as an assistant at Tusculum from 2002-2004. He broke into the collegiate ranks as a student assistant at Chattanooga State Technical Community College in 1996-1997 and also served at Tennessee from 1999-2001.

In addition to coaching, Dobbins also has served as the executive and tournament director of the Fun-In-The-Sun Classic. The Bradenton, Florida, tournament draws college teams from all NCAA Divisions throughout the country during the spring.

Dobbins has also worked on the international development and exposure of the game in Europe and South America. He worked with the Softball Federation of Argentina and their national programs as a technical and instructional consultant for their players and coaches. He has also worked closely with USA/ASA Softball on the development of the game internationally through various coaching development programs.

In 2012, Dobbins worked with ESPN on the production and statistical advisement and information staff for the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He also served as the head coach of the 2006 Athletes International College Goodwill Team in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Dobbins worked at the National Training Facility in Barcelona, Spain, as a video consultant for the Spanish National Softball Team in 2002.

Dobbins also works as a media correspondent, analyst, and contributing writer for Justin's World of Softball, a website and blog dedicated to the game and happenings of collegiate softball.

Dobbins obtained his bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Tennessee in 2002.

--MidAmerica Nazarene University