James DeFeo was named Mercer University’s sixth softball head coach in program history on Wednesday, September 07, 2011. DeFeo takes over the Bears’ program after seven successful seasons as the associate head coach at LSU.

Defeo takes over a Mercer program that has seen some of its most successful seasons in recent years. The Bears have won 56 percent (129-100) of their games since 2008 and qualified for the Atlantic Sun conference tournament in three of the past four years.

“I view (the Mercer position) as a great opportunity both professionally and for my family,” DeFeo said. “Mercer University is an excellent academic institution and Jim’s (Cole) vision as an Athletics Director will  make athletics just as good as the academics at the institution. I am going to draw on all of my experiences and utilize them to the fullest for Mercer’s program.”

Before being named head coach, DeFeo spent a large portion of his coaching career under the tutelage of legendary LSU head coach Yvette Girouard, who retired from coaching after the 2011 season. In his 11 seasons with the LSU staff – the past seven as the associate head coach – the Tigers rolled up a record of 526-171-1 (.754), finished ranked in the top-20 nationally 10 seasons, qualified for the NCAA championship tournament 10 times and had two trips to the WCWS (2001 and 2004), where LSU finished third both times.

He brings a strong – and successful – softball background to what will be his first stint as a collegiate head coach. Overall as a college coach, DeFeo has been a part of more than 600 victories, five conference championships, 12 trips to the NCAA tournament and four Women’s College World Series berths. None of the college programs where he has been on staff have ever suffered a losing season.

Over his seven previous seasons at LSU, the Tigers offense was not only a mainstay at the top of the SEC rankings but in the upper echelon of the NCAA. Tiger hitters under his watch compiled an impressive 21 NCAA Top 30 team finishes in various offensive categories, including five Top 10 rankings. A remarkable 13 of those 21 feats over the six-year span have been in batting average, runs per game, home runs per game and slugging percentage.   

The LSU coaching staff was honored as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) South Region “Coaching Staff of the Year” in both 2001 and 2004. The Tigers also earned three SEC championships (2001, 2002 and 2004) during DeFeo’s span with the team.

At LSU, DeFeo also helped produce a strong tradition in the classroom. His work spawned four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 13 Academic All-District selections.  58 of the Tigers’ student-athletes were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll during his time at LSU, in addition to 15 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll members since 2004.

Prior to his position at LSU, DeFeo was also on staff with Girouard at Louisiana-Lafayette for one season in 2000. During his time there, the team won the Sun Belt championship, was ranked No. 16 and qualified for the NCAA regionals.  

In 1999, a year before teaming up with Girouard, DeFeo was a graduate assistant at Southern Mississippi when the Golden Eagles became the first-ever, first-year program to advance to the WCWS and also won the inaugural Conference USA championship series.

DeFeo also has more than 13 years experience as the sole proprietor and instructor in the All-America Softball Clinics, offering programs in New Jersey, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and Mississippi. He has coaching experience at virtually every level of fastpitch softball, including Under-12, Under-16, 18-and-under, and Women’s Major.

DeFeo is a native of New Jersey and earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management in 1996 from Rutgers University. He earned his master’s in sport’s administration from Southern Miss in 1999.

DeFeo is the brother of current Ball State assistant coach Stephanie DeFeo, who was also a three-time All-American player at UL-Lafayette.

DeFeo was married to the former Samantha Rock in 2000. The couple has two daughters, Victoria and Zoe and a son, Zachary.