Texas State Softball Announces Return Of Peejay Brun

  by, Jen Lawson

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State softball head coach Ricci Woodard announces the return of Peejay Brun as an assistant coach Monday morning. Prior to a two-year stint as the head coach of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Brun spent eight seasons with the Bobcats where she worked primarily with outfielders and catchers.

With her return to Texas State, Brun will help oversee all aspects of the Bobcat softball program while working with the outfielders, catchers, and short game.

“I am so excited to be returning to Texas State!” said Brun. “The opportunity to rejoin the Bobcat family and continue on the journey with Coach Woodard and Coach Osterman was one I couldn’t pass on.”

“I could not be happier to have Coach Brun return to the Bobcat family,” said Woodard. “The energy she brings to a program is very hard to find! We are lucky to have her back.”

As a member of the PacWest Conference, Brun led UH Hilo to a 63-33-1 overall record and a 41-19-1 conference record the past two seasons. In that time, three of her pitchers earned the PacWest Pitcher of the Week award, two players won the PacWest Player of the Week award and two won the PacWest Newcomer of the Week award. Also in 2015, UH Hilo’s Colleen Aubrey was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Player of the Week after registering seven multi-hit games and leading Hilo to a 9-2 record that week.

In all, Brun developed an NFCA All-American, eight players who earned All-PacWest honors, two players who garnered Daktronics All-Region honors and three NFCA All-Region players at UH Hilo. Eighteen of her players earned All-PacWest academic honors and six players were named NFCA Academic All-Americans. Both of her teams maintained at least a 3.0 GPA.

After each of her two seasons with the Vulcans, Brun’s teams were named the UH Hilo Team of the Year. Also after each year, a Vulcan softball player was named the UH Hilo Female Student-Athlete of the Year.

“I know it was tough for Coach Brun to leave her program at UH Hilo,” added Woodard. “She went there and changed the way Hilo softball is talked about in just two short years.”

From 2007-2014, Brun assisted Woodard with the Texas State softball program. In that time, Texas State won four Southland Conference Championships and three SLC Tournament Championships. While with the Bobcats, Brun helped develop over 40 All-Conference players, 11 SLC Players of the Year and nine NFCA All-Region players. 

Brun came to Texas State after spending four seasons as the head coach at Siena College, where she took the program to new heights. Under Brun, the Saints qualified for their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament and set school records for most conference wins in a season, highest conference finish in a season and most wins in a single season. Brun also developed two All-Regional, nine All-Conference, 14 All-Academic and six NFCA All-American Scholar Athletes.

Prior to moving east, Brun was active in the softball scene on the West Coast. From 1998-2002 she was an assistant coach at Division II member California State University-Dominguez Hills. There she was responsible for the strength and conditioning program, making travel arrangements, monitoring academics and working with pitchers, catchers and outfielders. Brun also developed the team’s first-ever All-Region outfielder. In 2002 the Lady Toros finished second in the CCAA.

Brun also has experience beyond the NCAA level. In 2002 she coordinated softball for the RBI Organization in Los Angeles and in 2000 was the head coach of the Solvesborg Giant Ants in Solvesborg, Sweden. Brun also served as both an assistant softball coach (1996-1997) and the head volleyball coach (1996-1998) at Encinal High School in Alameda, Calif.

Brun played softball as an outfielder and catcher at the University of Hawaii from 1989-1994, earning Second-Team All-Big West honors in 1994 as well as being named the NCAA Woman of the Year for Hawaii. Brun also played professionally with the San Jose Spitfires of the Ladies Professional Baseball League for two years, and where she was MVP of the 1997 league-championship team.

Brun graduated from Hawaii with a degree in music before earning her master’s in physical education administration from California State University-Dominguez Hills.