Courtesy of Michigan State Athletics
East Lansing, Michigan – Michigan State softball coach Jacquie Joseph has announced the addition of JT Gasso to the Spartan coaching staff. Gasso joins Joseph and assistant coach Jessica Bograkos for the summer recruiting period, beginning his duties on Monday, June 23. Gasso comes to East Lansing after a year at Purdue and two previous seasons at Oklahoma. He will be involved heavily in all areas of recruiting and player development, while focusing on MSU’s infield defensive play and hitting.
“I am excited to add JT to our staff,” said Joseph. “He’s young and energetic, and brings a lot to our program. He has literally grown up in the game; those who spoke on his behalf raved about his vision, work ethic, and knowledge. He was a part of a national championship season and a history of national prominence at Oklahoma, and bringing a winning mindset to our program as we move forward. We are looking forward to when we will get our team back to campus so that we can begin preparing for the 2015 season.”
NFCA Hall of Fame coach Sue Enquist, who was a part of 11 national championships during her time at UCLA, was one of many who spoke highly of Gasso. “If I could hire anyone in the country, I would hire JT,” Enquist said. “He has a really clear vision as well as knowledge and understanding of the whole picture of coaching and success. JT is a worker bee who will positively influence and impact your program and come in ready to go.”
“I’m thankful and incredibly honored to join the Spartan family,” said Gasso. “I have to extend a thank you to Mark Hollis, Shelley Appelbaum and Jacquie Joseph for providing me this opportunity. Jacquie’s reputation in our profession is excellent, and having a chance to work alongside her and Jessica Bograkos was an exciting proposition. I’m really looking forward to working with the team – I think that there is a lot of talent and potential on our roster, and cannot wait to get the season started.”
A collegiate baseball player at Eastern Oklahoma State and East Central University, Gasso was a part of a first-year coaching staff which helped guide Purdue to a spot in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals a year ago. The program placed five players on the All-Big Ten postseason teams and a program-record six Boilers earned All-Region honors.Gasso spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma, where he was responsible for compiling scouting reports, game day and practice set up and assisting in hitting instruction and game planning for the team, including its 2013 national championship and 2012 national runner-up seasons. His coaching pedigree also includes time as a camp coach with national championship programs at LSU and UCLA, and at the IntenCity Sports Training Academy in Norman, Oklahoma.
Gasso has been a lead instructor for the Sooner Softball camps the last nine years. He is certified as a level 1 coach in Crossfit and has trained various athletes to reach their maximum potential in strength and conditioning, including those at the IntenCity Sports Training Academy, for which he has been a hitting instructor and strength and conditioning coach since 2008. In 2012, Gasso also coached an 18-and-under high school baseball travel ball team for IntenCity. In his time as a private instructor, he has tutored five athletes who have gone on to play Division I softball.
Gasso comes naturally to coaching as his mother, Patty, recently completed her 20th season as the head softball coach at Oklahoma, and has won more than 1,000 games in her 24-season tenure as a head coach. The elder Gasso has had her team in the women’s College World Series in each of the last four seasons, winning the NCAA title in 2013 when JT was a graduate assistant coach.
In addition to his experience at Oklahoma and at the IntenCity Academy, the East Central University alum coached the Sulphur Orioles 18-and-under baseball team in 2010 and was the head instructor at the Chickasaw Nation softball camp in 2007.
Gasso holds an associate’s degree from Eastern Oklahoma State College and a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from East Central University, and is pursuing his master’s degree in administrative leadership at the University of Oklahoma.
