BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian University has promoted Head Equipment Manager/Assistant Softball Coach Josh Baltz to the position of Head Softball Coach. Baltz will be stepping down as Head Equipment Manager to focus on the Greyhounds' softball program.
"It is with great pleasure that I introduce Josh Baltz as our new softball coach," stated Director of Athletics & Recreation Mary Beth Spirk. "Josh has been an integral part of the success of the team over the past six years. He has been a tremendous employee as our Equipment Manager and as part of the administrative team in the Athletic Department. His passion and commitment in serving all our student athletes is second to none and I am confident this same passion and commitment will transfer to the softball team. Josh is and will continue to be an integral part of the Athletic Department team as well. The softball team will continue to achieve success with Josh at the helm.
Baltz, a 2008 Moravian graduate, returned to his alma mater in 2014 to serve as Head Equipment Manager, and he joined the softball coaching staff in 2017 under John Byrne, who announced his retirement on May 23 after 44 years at Moravian as a student-athlete, coach and administrator including the last 29 seasons leading the softball program.
"First off, I would like to thank Director of Athletics Mary Beth Spirk, Executive Vice President Nicole Loyd, and President Bryon Grigsby for appointing me to the position of Head Softball Coach," Baltz said. "I owe a great deal of thanks to Coach Byrne for allowing me to be a part of the Softball program for the last 6 seasons and for the support he's provided over that time to help prepare me for the next chapter. I am honored and could not be more excited to take on this new role."
Since joining the softball coaching staff, Baltz has helped the Greyhounds to a 173-30 record including a 66-5 mark in the Landmark Conference regular season, five Landmark Conference Tournament appearances, two Landmark Conference titles, two NCAA Division III Tournament berths and one NCAA Division III Regional title.
"Our goal is to continue on with the successes this program has grown accustomed to achieving," noted Baltz. "Our goals will be to win on the field, win in the classroom, and to be great people representing Moravian University."
As an undergraduate at Moravian, Baltz lettered on Greyhounds' baseball team for three years before missing his senior campaign due to an injury. Despite only playing three seasons, Baltz collected 104 hits, the 13th player at the time to reach the milestone, and he completed his career tied for eighth in the Moravian record books with a .416 career on-base percentage. Baltz, an outfielder, was named to the Commonwealth All-Conference Second Team after his sophomore season in 2006 in which he set a then school-record with 137 at-bats.
"It is great to have the opportunity to work at a place where I have grown up," commented Baltz. "Spending four years as a student-athlete combined with the last eight years working within the Moravian Athletic Department teaches you many things along the way. I hope to take the things I have learned and apply them to the Softball program."
Baltz is a native of Easton, Pennsylvania, and he played both baseball and football for the Red Rovers before making his way to Moravian in 2004 as a freshman student-athlete.
