Gophers Hire Augustana Hall of Famer as New Softball Head Coach

The Gophers' search for a new softball head coach lasted less than two weeks. The school announced on Thursday that it has hired longtime Augustana head coach Gretta Melsted.

Welcome to Minnesota, Coach Melsted! 〽️

Gretta Melsted has been named the new head coach of Gopher Softball!

🔗: https://t.co/uoMyJ5zVOm pic.twitter.com/baiNNgMVyE
— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) May 21, 2026

Melsted was the head coach at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for 20 seasons. She put together one of the most accomplished resumes in the history of Division II softball. She compiled an 813-313 overall record, and the Vikings won the Division II national championship in 2019. She was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in December 2024.

"I am incredibly honored and excited to be named the head softball coach at the University of Minnesota. This is a program with tremendous tradition, passionate alumni, and a proud history of competing at the highest level," Melsted said in a release.

"I would like to thank President Rebecca Cunningham, Director of Athletics Mark Coyle, sport administrator Joi Thomas, and the search committee for trusting me with this opportunity. As someone who grew up in Minnesota, I know how special this place is, and I cannot wait to get to work with our student-athletes and build on the legacy of Gopher softball."

Melsted will replace Piper Ritter at Minnesota, who was fired after six seasons earlier this May. The Gophers haven't played in the NCAA Tournament since 2023, and Melsted guided the Vikings to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances at the Division II level.

"Gretta is a proven winner and one of the most respected coaches in college softball," Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle said in a release. "She is a Hall of Fame coach and has built and sustained a championship program, developed student-athletes at an elite level, and has a strong understanding of softball in this region. Her teams have consistently competed for championships, and I am excited to welcome Gretta, her husband Dan, and sons Matthew and Jacob to the University of Minnesota."

Melsted is a native of Albert Lea, Minnesota, and she graduated from Carleton College. She had previous head coaching experience at NAIA Culver-Stockton College in Missouri, and she has other experience as an assistant coach for softball and women's basketball at William Woods University in Missouri, and she had assistant coaching jobs at Carleton, Robbinsdale Cooper High School and Robbinsdale Armstrong High School.

She has agreed to a five-year contract, pending the completion of a background check, according to the school's release.

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