Jeremy Manley Returns to Illinois Softball Staff as Assistant Coach
June 15, 2026 | Softball
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head softball coach Jenna Hall announced the addition of Jeremy Manley to her staff on Monday afternoon. Manley will serve as the program's pitching coach.
"Returning to Illinois is a dream come true," shared Manley.
"Ever since I served as a volunteer assistant in 2015, I hoped that one day I would have the opportunity to come back and be part of this program. I'm incredibly grateful to Coach Hall for her trust and belief in me, and I couldn't be more excited. Illinois is a special place, and I'm honored to help build a championship-caliber program while investing in the development of our student-athletes, both on and off the field"
Most recently, Manley served as pitching coach at Arizona State from 2023-25. In 2025, he helped guide right-hander Kenzie Brown to National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) first-team All-American honors, as well as second-team honors from D1Softball and Softball America.
From 2020-2022, Manley led the pitching staff at Ball State, where he helped guide the Cardinals to a 46-14 tally in conference play across his tenure. Under his tutelage, senior pitcher Alyssa Rothwell successfully transitioned into a starting role, ranking second in the MAC with a 1.79 ERA in 2020.
"I am thrilled to welcome Jeremy to our Illinois Softball famILLy, shared Hall.
"He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and connection to the game. As a former men's fastpitch pitcher, his love of the game runs true. His ability to develop high-level pitchers will undoubtedly elevate our pitching staff. His passion is apparent from the first time you speak with him. That passion combined with his belief in Illinois and what being an Illini means make him the perfect fit for our coaching staff."
In 2019, Manley was an assistant on the Kansas staff, and from 2017-18 he worked with both the offense and pitchers at Ohio. In 2017, the Bobcat pitchers produced an impressive 1.98 ERA and led the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with 541 strikeouts. Manley saw similar levels of success in 2018, as the Ohio staff earned a 2.51 ERA and fanned a conference-best 410 batters.
Ohio registered an 82-35 overall record during his time on staff, including winning the 2018 MAC regular season and tournament championships to earn a berth in the 2018 NCAA Knoxville Regional. The 2017 Bobcats recorded the first 40-win season in program history (42-18), while the 2018 squad earned the second (40-17). The 2018 team also claimed the first two NCAA regional wins in program history.
Offensively, he helped the Bobcats set program records for hits (452) and doubles (90) during the 2017 season, as well as produce the second-most runs scored (269) and RBIs (246). In 2018, his batters slugged a program-record 57 home runs and produced a .317 batting average in MAC play.
Along with the team accolades, Manley worked with a pair of MAC Pitchers of the Year in Savannah Jo Dorsey and Danielle Stiene. Ohio's student-athletes also earned 11 All-MAC and 13 Academic All-MAC honors during Manley's two seasons, while the coaching staff was named the 2018 NFCA Division I Mideast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year.
A World Champion pitcher, Manley led the Black Sox, the New Zealand Men's National Team, to the International Softball Federation Men's Fastpitch World Series title in 2013, where he earned the Kevin Herlihy Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Pitcher, the only individual honor awarded at the event. The world championship followed a second-place finish at the 2009 ISF Men's World Series.
A Black Sox member since 2006, Manley was named Softball New Zealand Pitcher of the Year four times (2006, 2010, 2011, 2013) and played in tournaments in Japan, Australia, Argentina, Samoa, Canada and New Zealand. In addition to his most recent pitching honor, Manley was named International Softball Congress All-World three times, including first team selections in 2009 and 2010, and he earned Amateur Softball Association All-America selections seven times.
Beyond his play with Black Sox, Manley won New Zealand Men's Open Club Championships in 2006 and 2010 with Hutt City United and the Hutt Valley Dodgers, respectively. Following his second championship, he was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player and Pitcher, and the Dodgers named him Sportsman of the Year and their Most Valuable Pitcher.
Manley graduated from Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand, in December 2013, with his degree in exercise science. A full scholarship student-athlete, he was a three-time Massey University Blues Award winner, the highest sporting accolade given in the New Zealand tertiary system.
