NCAA Division III Institution Relaunches Softball Program Ahead of 2026-27 Academic Year

More softball is coming to New York City.

CCNY will transition to a NCAA varsity team during the 2027-28 season. | NCAA Softball

The Division III softball scene just got bigger. 

The City College of New York (CCNY) Department of Athletics and Recreation announced on June 1 the addition of softball as its newest program.

The program will begin as a club sport during the 2026-27 academic year, but will officially transition to an NCAA varsity team for the 2027-28 season. 

As athletics at CCNY grows, adding softball aligns with CCNY’s commitment to expanding opportunities for its female student-athletes. 

“Adding softball is an exciting and meaningful step for our athletics department and institution," Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Duane Bailey said in the press release. “This program expands opportunities for women student-athletes and reinforces our commitment to the continued growth of intercollegiate athletics at CCNY. We are excited to build a program that reflects the pride, tradition, and excellence of the CCNY Athletics.”

CCNY will join a brand-new conference, which has yet to be named, but eight teams joining are current members of the City University of New York (CUNY) Athletic Conference, along with Saint Elizabeth and Pratt Institute. The conference will begin competition in the 2027-28 academic year and will primarily draw from schools in and around the New York City metropolitan area. 

Joe Burbridge Hired as Head Coach 

Just three weeks after launching the softball program, Joe Burbridge was named head coach.

SB | @CCNYSports Names Joe Burbridge Head Softball Coachhttps://t.co/lk7lNL4NqM#d3sb #TheCityPlaysHere pic.twitter.com/cJ5xRT0nvQ

— CUNY Athletic Conference (@CUNYAC) June 22, 2026

Burbridge comes to CCNY with over 15 years of head coaching experience at the Division II level. He’s compiled 494 career wins, three Coach of the Year honors, seven NCAA Tournament appearances, four conference tournament championships, and seven regular-season championships. 

 Burbridge spent the bulk of his coaching career at Dominican College as head coach from 2007 to 2022. There, he compiled a 420-280-1 overall record and a 273-85 mark in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play. Dominican also qualified for the postseason in all 12 seasons, while earning a top-three conference seed in 10.  His teams captured four CACC regular-season championships (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013) and three conference tournament titles (2010, 2011, 2012).

He most recently served as the interim head coach at John Jay College in 2024, where he led the Bloodhounds to a CUNYAC Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.

“I'm honored to join The City College of New York and have the opportunity to build the softball program from the ground up," Burbridge said in the press release. “This is an exciting opportunity to establish a culture of excellence, recruit outstanding student-athletes, and create a program that reflects the pride and tradition of CCNY Athletics. I'm excited to get started and help grow the game in New York City."

No further information has been publicly shared on recruitment at this time.