Brian Levin will enter his seventh season as UMSL’s head softball coach during the 2016-17 season. In six years at the helm, Levin has turned UMSL into a nationally prominent program and owns a coaching mark of 249-83 (.750) and is the program’s all-time wins leader.
He is also in his third season as Field Manager for the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league. During his first season, Levin was named to the 2014 NPF Coaching Staff of the Year.
In his tenure at UMSL, Levin has guided the Tritons to four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016), including two Super Regional appearances (2014, 2015) and three straight GLVC Tournament championships (2013, 2014, 2015). Under his tutelage, his players have received eight All-American honors – including four by Hannah Perryman, 21 All-Region nods and 37 All-GLVC accolades.
Levin has directed the program to four straight 40-win seasons, including a program-best 53 victories in 2016 (53-9 overall). UMSL finished runner-up in both the GLVC regular season and postseason tournament and spent every week ranked inside the NFCA DII Top 10. During the season, Hannah Perryman set NCAA Division II career records for perfect games (nine) and broke the career strikeouts record, finishing her stellar four-year career with 1,725. Additionally, she broke the NCAA DII single season mark with 567 strikeouts during her final collegiate season. On April 14, Perryman became the first NCAA DII player to ever be drafted by the NPF, being selected 37th overall to the Arkon Racers.
Levin led the 2015 Tritons a 48-8 record and the program’s second straight NCAA Midwest Super Regional, where they came up one win shy of the DII College World Series. UMSL also won its third straight GLVC Tournament championship after claiming the league’s regular season. The Tritons were ranked in the NFCA DII Top 25 each week, including all but one week in the top 10. Additionally, UMSL attained the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking on May 6.
UMSL set school records for consecutive wins with 19 and also smashed the program’s home run record, tallying 106 in 2015, the third most in an NCAA DII single season.
For his efforts, Levin was named the 2015 GLVC Coach of the Year and had 10 players earn All-GLVC honors, including junior Hannah Perryman, who was named the GLVC Pitcher of the Year for the third straight year. Additionally, Perryman set an NCAA DII record with six perfect games and was one of three finalists for the inaugural Schutt Sports/NFCA DII National Player of the Year.
Perryman’s younger sister, Jennah, was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year, as UMSL took home that honor for the second straight season. Also for the second straight year, Hannah Perryman and senior Brianna Butler were both named All-Americans.
Levin directed the 2014 Tritons to a then program-best 49-8 record and a spot in the NCAA Midwest Super Regional, where UMSL came up one win shy of the DII College World Series. The Tritons also won their second straight GLVC Tournament championship after also repeating as GLVC West Division regular season champions. UMSL was ranked in the NFCA DII Top 25 Poll each week, attaining a high ranking of No. 4. During the season, they put together a 13-game win streak, second longest in program history.
Levin coached eight players to All-GLVC honors, including sophomore Hannah Perryman, who repeated as the league’s Pitcher of the Year and Alex Stupek, who took home GLVC Freshman of the Year honors. He also had two players earn All-America honors, including Perryman, who was a second team selection, and junior Brianna Butler, who was an honorable mention selection.
Levin guided the 2013 team to a 41-13 record, the second most wins in program history. The squad also won the program’s first GLVC Tournament championship and earned the program’s third bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament, while receiving a national ranking of No. 22. Among UMSL's victories during the regular season were wins over then No. 2 ranked UC-San Diego, 11-1, and a 3-0 victory over then No. 16 ranked and eventual NCAA Division II national champion Central Oklahoma. The Tritons also defeated then No. 1 ranked Indianapolis, 1-0, in the GLVC Tournament.
Levin coached eight players to All-GLVC honors, including freshman Hannah Perryman, who was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year before going on to earn Third Team All-America honors.
In the second season under Levin's guidance, the Tritons posted a 27-25 record, while recording 50 homeruns as a team - the second most in program history. He had four players earn All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honors, including freshmen Brianna Butler and Madison Zbaraschuk, who were also first team all-region selections by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
In his first season, Levin directed the program to a 31-20 record and the program’s second regular season Great Lakes Valley Conference title in three seasons with a 20-5 mark. For his efforts, he was named the league’s Coach of the Year. Additionally, he had six players earn all-GLVC honors under his guidance, including senior JaCee Ellis, who was named the GLVC Player of the Year.
Levin came to UMSL following one season at NCAA Division I Murray State, helping lead the Racers to a 22-29 record in its inaugural season, including a fifth-place finish in the 11-team Ohio Valley Conference and a berth in the league’s post-season tournament.
The Granite City, Ill., native founded STAAR hitting mechanics and camps and the ASA Clarksville Heat Softball Organization in Clarksville, Tenn. In his 11 years of coaching, his teams consistently hit over .300 as a team.
Levin played collegiate football and baseball at Peru State College where he was a two-time all-conference player. He finished his baseball career with a .344 batting averaging and moved on to play Fastpitch softball in southeast Nebraska and semi-professional baseball in the St. Louis area. Levin also earned All-American place-kicker honors in college.
Levin also spent 20 years in the military, including 15 stationed at Ft. Campbell, Ky., with the 5th Special Forces Group. While stationed at Ft. Campbell he was an active volunteer coach for football, baseball and softball at Ft. Campbell High School.
Levin earned a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from Peru State University in 1988 and a master's degree from Northcentral University in sports management and leadership in 2009.
Levin is married to the former Michelle Morgan and has two children, Alisha and Matthew. Alisha played softball for Providence College, while Matthew played football team at the University of Dubuque.
