Bruce Anderson enters his fourth year as head softball coach at Otterbein University in 2025 after being hired over the summer of 2021.
In his first season, Anderson guided the Cardinals to 23-13 overall record and 10-8 mark within Ohio Athletic Conference play. Despite being picked tenth in the league's preseason poll, his team earned a top-four finish in the regular season to qualify for the OAC Tournament.
Anderson arrived to Otterbein after spending eight years as lead assistant coach at fellow OAC school John Carroll, primarily overseeing the pitching staff while contributing to many other aspects of the program.
Anderson, who holds a degree in social work from Ohio University, is a retired children services administrator with extensive softball coaching experience. He's been a senior pitching instructor for All-Stars Advantage since 2008, working with pitchers of all ages, and also coached the Central Ohio Ice (U18 and U23) for four seasons. In addition, Anderson has served in high school coaching roles at Newark, Utica and Heath.
A total of 14 John Carroll pitchers earned Academic All-OAC honors during Anderson's stretch in University Heights. AnnMarie Kirchner earned first team All-OAC under his guidance in 2016, when the team posted a 2.89 ERA Jessica Cook then pitched a perfect game during the 2017 campaign.
Anderson worked 30 years for the Licking County Department of Job & Family Services, including 13 as an administrator. He and his wife, Gail, live in Newark and have two grown children.
Coach Anderson's Record:
| Year |
Overall |
OAC |
| 2022 |
23-13 |
10-8 |
| 2023 |
16-17-1 |
9-9 |
| 2024 |
14-22 |
7-11 |
| Totals |
53-52-1 |
26-28 |
