Kristen Butler is the head coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights softball program and enters her eighth season leading the program in 2026. Since arriving in Piscataway, Butler has guided Rutgers to historic growth on and off the field, establishing the program as a rising force in the Big Ten Conference. Under her leadership, Rutgers has made multiple National Invitational Softball Championship appearances and recorded numerous “firsts,” including back-to-back 30-win seasons, the most victories in Big Ten play in program history, and the program’s first NFCA All-American. Her teams have produced All-Big Ten, All-Region, All-Freshman, and national award honorees, while also setting school records in home runs, runs scored, RBIs, and strikeouts.
Beyond competitive success, Butler has overseen transformative facility improvements, including a new stadium complex set to debut in 2026, along with major upgrades to the Rutgers Softball Complex that support nationally televised games and enhanced student-athlete development. Prior to Rutgers, Butler served as head coach at Toledo, where she earned Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2018 and led a dramatic program turnaround marked by postseason appearances and conference success. A former standout player, Butler was a four-year starter at the University of Florida and the 2006 SEC Player of the Year before enjoying a record-setting professional career in the United States and Japan. An Orlando, Florida native, she holds a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Florida and a master’s degree from Toledo, and continues to emphasize excellence, resilience, and academic achievement throughout the Rutgers softball program.
