Bob Bartel

Biography

Bartel, the all-time wins leader in Concordia softball history, enters his 22nd season at the helm of the Golden Bear softball program in 2026. He's led the Golden Bears to the NCAA Tournament four times including three trips to the Sweet Sixteen along with a pair of NSIC Tournament Championships. Bartel won the 2024 NSIC Coach of the Year award after leading the Golden Bears to a program best 14-0 start in conference play. Bartel has coached the team to 30-plus win seasons in 11 of his 22 years and has won at least 27 games in 14 of 22 years. Prior to Bartel, the Concordia softball program had just four 30-plus win seasons. His 566 wins are the most all-time in school history, his record breaking 274th win came in the NCAA Central Regional Championship in 2012. In his first two years, Bartel led the Golden Bears to back-to-back school record 44-win campaigns, a pair of NSIC Championships and back-to-back appearances in the NCAA North Central Region Championship game. His 2005 squad captured the regional title while the 2006 team finished as regional runner-up with a Sweet Sixteen appearance. After the strong start to his head coaching career, Bartel guided the Golden Bears back to regional prominence, reaching the NCAA Tournament in two of three years between 2010 and 2012 including the 2012 run to the NCAA Central Region title game for the program's third Sweet Sixteen finish under his leadership. He's coached the program's only NFCA All-Americans, Kristen Schmidt (2005 2nd