The Official Athletics Website of Coe College

Coe College Softball head coach Jake Koolbeck has been with the Kohawk softball program since 2015, serving as an assistant coach for seven seasons before being promoted prior to the 2023 season. Koolbeck and his staff made an immediate impact, leading Coe to its second-best finish at the NCAA Tournament, finishing third at the 2023 DIII National Championships in Marshall, Texas.

The Kohawks won their opening two games against second-seeded Linfield and sixth-seeded Rowan before falling to eventual National Champion Trine. Coe was 39-11 during the year, recording the third-most wins in program history. In addition, Koolbeck’s team won the American Rivers Conference Championship regular season title with a mark of 13-3. In his first season as head coach, Koolbeck’s team finished 19th in the NCAA in winning percentage and inside the top 30 in Home Runs (9th), WHIP (22nd), Runs (28th) and ERA (30th).

Seven Kohawks were named all-conference following the 2023 season while Koolbeck and his staff were named the A-R-C Coaching Staff of the Year. Ellie Thurow added to the awards for Koolbeck’s team, earning a spot on the NFCA All-Region team. Following the conclusion of the season, Coach Koolbeck and his staff were named the NFCA Region IX Staff of the Year for the first time in Coe Softball history.

2024 proved to be another strong season for Koolbeck's Kohawks, winning the A-R-C postseason title for the first time in 15 years. Coe went on to win the Greencastle Regional at DePauw University, going unbeaten as Heather Boeckenstedt was named the tournament MVP. The season continued into the Super Regional round where the Kohawks fell to host Case Western in two games. Five Kohawks were named NFCA all-region performers and Ruby Kappeler was named the American Rivers Conference's MVP. Boeckenstedt was later named NFCA Third Team All-American, Coe's first honoree since 2019. 2025 was the start of a rebuilding process for Koolbeck and the Kohawks, replacing nine key players from the previous two seasons. After a tough start, the Kohawks battled back and fought for a spot in the conference tournament but fell short in the final weekend. Addie Menke, Abbie White and Maddie Harris picked up all-conference honors after standout sesons during the league schedule. 

Prior to taking over as the head coach at Coe, Koolbeck held numerous coaching positions at local-area high schools. From 2010-2017, Jake directed the Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School spring program and also served as a varsity assistant at Solon and Clear Creek Amana. In 2018, Koolbeck became the head coach at Regina Catholic High School in Iowa City, leading the Regals to a second-place finish at the Iowa High School State Tournament in 2018. Following his stint at Regina, Koolbeck was a varsity assistant for Kennedy High School where he helped the Cougars win the 2020 State Championship. Koolbeck served as the top assistant at Coe since 2017 before stepping into the head coaching position. Jake graduated from Coe College in 2017 with a degree in Physical Education and Fitness Development. 

Jake Koolbeck's Year-by-Year