Clemson announced the hiring of John Rittman as their first head softball coach. Their first softball season is set to begin in 2020, which may conflict with his national team duties.

“John Rittman is a proven winner and nationally respected coach, and the right person to lead our new softball program at Clemson,” director of athletics Dan Radakovich said. “We have 27 months until first pitch, and John has the vision and experience to build a strong foundation and culture for years to come.”

Rittman brings a plenty of experience coaching in the Pac-12 (Stanford), Big 12 (Kansas), and Team USA. He spent 18 seasons developing Stanford to the top of the Pac-12 and 10 years with the national team.

“I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to build the Clemson softball program,” he said. “We want to recruit the best student-athletes in the country, and we’ll embrace the Clemson culture and passionate fan base. I can’t wait to get started.”