Hamline University Athletics

Jim Rubbelke passed a milestone in his fifth season as head Piper softball coach when he earned his 100th college career coaching win. The St. Paul native brings an overall mark is now 167-137-1, including four 20+ victory seasons in his eight seasons at the helm.  He brings a diversity in coaching experience and a lifelong passion for the game to the program.

Last year, Rubbelke guided his team to 27 wins -- the second most in school history -- and a first-ever second place finish. 

In his first season, he took Hamline to a third-place regular season finish and a second-place finish in the MIAC tournament en route to compiling a 26-14, 16-6 MIAC record. Three of his players were named to the MIAC all-tournament team, and three players earned third team all-region honors for their play during the season.

During Rubbelke's second season, the Pipers lost to the regular season conference champion Gusties in the semifinal game of the MIAC tournament. The team finished the regular season in third place and had five athlete earn MIAC post-season honors while two were named all-region.

His 2015 team finished in second place in the MIAC with a 17-5 mark. That marked the highest finish ever for a HU softball team.

He previously worked as the head football (2001-2007) and baseball coach (2003-2007) at Harding High School in St. Paul.  In 2000, he was the offensive coordinator for Harding.  He also has experience coaching hockey as the White Bear Lake High School (1993-1995) and Johnson Senior High School (1985-1991) junior varsity head coach.

Rubbelke served as the assistant head coach of the Concordia University (St. Paul) softball program from 1998-2002.  During that time, he helped lead the Golden Bears during their transition from the Upper Midwest Atlantic Conference (a member of the NAIA) to the NCAA Division II Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).  His teams posted a 147-81 overall record during those years, and his successes included a 1998 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference title and the 2001 NSIC regular season and tournament titles.

Rubbelke also served as a clinic coach at the Stanford University softball camp from 1999-2002.  An athlete himself, Rubbelke was a three-sport competitor at Johnson High School, and was named to the Top 100 Male Athletes of the St. Paul City Conference in 1999.  He has played fastpitch softball for over fifteen years in St. Paul, including several national tournaments.  He also grew up watching his father, Jim Rubbelke, Sr., take to the field.  Rubbelke, Sr. was a 2003 inductee to the International Softball Congress Hall of Fame.