PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Paul Plinske announced the hiring of Ben Garcia as the next head coach of the Pack softball program.

A Pueblo native with more than three decades of coaching experience, Garcia brings an extensive résumé of success at the high school, junior college, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I levels. Throughout his career, Garcia has built championship programs, developed All-Americans and academic standouts, and established a reputation for fostering winning cultures on and off the field.

"We are thrilled to welcome Ben Garcia as the next leader of our softball program," said Dr. Plinske. "Ben's remarkable track record of success, from winning state championships to leading programs at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels, speaks for itself. More importantly, he is a proven leader who knows how to build a winning culture while developing exceptional student-athletes. Ben is deeply ingrained in the Pueblo community and will bring a community-centered approach to our program. Above all, he understands the demands placed on today's student-athletes and is committed to fostering both academic and athletic success. We are excited for the future of Pack Softball under his leadership and can't wait to see what's ahead."

Garcia most recently served as an assistant softball coach at Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah, after spending the 2024 season as the head baseball coach at Pagosa Springs High School, where he earned Inter-Mountain League Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to that, Garcia spent the 2022-23 season as an assistant softball coach at Utah Valley University, helping with player development, recruiting, and academic oversight while contributing to all aspects of the NCAA Division I program.

Garcia previously served four seasons as the head softball coach at the University of Northern Colorado, where he guided the Bears to four consecutive Big Sky Conference Tournament appearances. During his tenure, UNC maintained a team GPA above 3.4 each season while producing 15 all-conference selections and 25 Academic All-Americans.

Before leading the Bears, Garcia enjoyed one of the most successful coaching tenures in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference history at Colorado Mesa University. From 2014-18, the Mavericks compiled a remarkable 169-49 overall record, captured three consecutive RMAC championships (2016, 2017 and 2018), earned two RMAC Coach of the Year honors, and spent seven consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 nationally. Garcia coached 10 All-Americans, 22 all-region selections and 42 all-conference performers while maintaining a team GPA above 3.45.

Garcia also led Otero Junior College to back-to-back Region IX championships in 2013 and 2014 while compiling a 143-42 overall record before making the move to Colorado Mesa.
His coaching career began in Pueblo, where he spent more than two decades leading Pueblo East High School into one of Colorado's premier softball programs. Garcia guided the Eagles to 19 state tournament appearances in 20 seasons, captured the 2012 Class 4A state championship, finished as state runner-up four times, and was named Coach of the Year on 12 occasions.

"I'm incredibly grateful to the Colorado State University Pueblo search committee and Dr. Plinske for believing in my vision and giving me the opportunity to lead this program," Garcia said. "I see tremendous potential here, and I'm excited to continue in the path the program is headed in. This is an exciting time for me and my family to be back in my hometown and continue to build upon a solid program. I can't wait to get to work with our student-athletes, alumni, and community as we build a championship-caliber program."

Garcia's coaching philosophy has consistently emphasized excellence in competition, success in the classroom, and strong community engagement. Across every level of collegiate softball, his programs have been recognized not only for winning championships but also for producing academically accomplished student-athletes and fostering positive team cultures.

A graduate of the University of Southern Colorado with a bachelor's degree in K-12 Education, Garcia now returns home to lead the Pack into its next chapter.

Garcia becomes the seventh head coach in program history and inherits a CSU Pueblo program coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history. The Pack captured the 2026 RMAC Tournament championship, earned a berth in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, and recorded the program's first 40-win season since 2001.