KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island Director of Athletics Thorr Bjorn announced Mike Coutts as the school's softball head coach Friday afternoon.
A veteran coach with more than two decades experience at the collegiate level, Coutts was the head coach for six years at Maine before spending the last three seasons with Division II Colorado School of Mines.
"I am thrilled to have Mike Coutts join the URI family as our new head softball coach," Bjorn said. "His vast experience in the game of softball as a head coach at two programs is critically important as we continue to make the on-field strides of building a championship caliber program. He is a fantastic person who comes to us with a great reputation in the softball community and is a strong tactician and program builder."
Coutts was named the head coach at Maine in the summer of 2015 after two seasons as an assistant there. From 2016-21, he won 94 games, which ranks third in Maine history. He led the Black Bears to the 2016 America East title and an NCAA regional appearance, the program's first NCAA appearance in 12 years. He was an even 42-42 in conference play with the Black Bears.
While he was an assistant with the program, the Maine staff was named the 2015 America East Coaching Staff of the Year.
Off the field, Maine excelled under Coutts' watch. The Black Bears consistently ranked in the top quarter of NCAA Division I teams in grade-point average and were recognized by the NCAA as being in the top 10 percent of Division I softball programs in academic progress rate each of his last three seasons.
In three seasons at Colorado Schools of Mines, Coutts improved the team's win total each season. After going 16-30 in 2022, the Orediggers went 25-26 in 2023 and then 29-23 last season. The 29 wins were the program's most in seven years.
"I want to thank Athletic Director Thorr Bjorn, Chief Business Officer Trish Casey, and the rest of the staff at the University of Rhode Island for this incredible opportunity and for their confidence in me to be the next head softball coach," Coutts said. "I have always felt that the softball program at URI had the potential to be one of the best in New England. I look forward to working with URI's softball student-athletes and guiding them as they chase their dreams. I am very fortunate and grateful and cannot wait to get started."
Before his softball coaching career began, Coutts was the associate head coach of the Maine baseball program from 1986-97. He helped his alma mater make four NCAA tournament appearances during that span, while also coaching nine players who went on to play professionally.
In addition to his collegiate experience, Coutts coached college athletes in the Cape Cod League as the head coach of the Cotuit Kettleers from 1995-2002. He won Cape Cod titles in 1995 and 1999, and he was the 1995 Cape Cod Coach of the Year.
Coutts is married to UMass Lowell Director of Athletics Lynn Coutts. Lynn Coutts has more than two decades experience as a college coach and administrator. Before taking over at UMass Lowell in July, she was the associate vice chancellor, deputy director of athletics and the Senior Woman Administrator at the Division I University of Denver. She was the softball head coach at Maine from 2011-15 before making the switch to administration at Maine.
A former Maine baseball player, Coutts was the captain for the Black Bears' 1981 College World Series appearance. Twice a graduate of Maine, Coutts earned a bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education, as well as a master's degree in Education Administration.
He has a daughter, Maggie, and a son, Jackson. Jackson played baseball at Rhode Island from 2018-20 before beginning a professional baseball career in 2021 with the Washington Nationals' minor league system. Maggie graduated from Colorado State in May of 2024
