Paul Ortega joined the Rider Softball coaching staff in August of 2017 following five seasons at Holy Family University under current Rider Head Coach, Davon Ortega. Paul Ortega serves as the Broncs’ primary hitting coach and is also responsible for the infielders. Ortega is also the recruiting coordinator and camp director for the Broncs.
The 2022 season was a program-building campaign that culminated with the Broncs earning their first ever berth into a six-team MAAC Championship. Rider returned to the tournament for only the fifth time, including its second-straight berth after earning a spot in 2021, which was the first time since 2006. The team’s 28 wins were the most in the program since 2004 and the most since Ortega joined the staff in 2017. The Broncs also finished above .500 in league play for the first time since 2006 and just the fourth time in the program’s 26 years in the MAAC conference.
Known for creating explosive offenses, Ortega’s 2022 hitters continued their volatile work, boasting one of Rider’s strongest offensive outputs in the last five years. Perhaps the most proof of an aggressive hitting philosophy came in the team’s third weekend of the season where the Broncs scored 52 runs on 68 hits in only five games, including a 23-9 route against Morehead State. The Rider hitters finished the season ranked 45th nationally in Division I in team batting average – the highest ranking since Ortega took over the Broncs’ offense. The team finished the season with the highest team batting average, the most hits, and the lowest number of strikeouts in the MAAC conference. The Broncs’ 444 hits and 555 total bases were the most in Ortega’s tenure and in the top 50 in the nation (hits). As a team, the Broncs were 149th and 123rd in scoring and strikeout-to-walk ratio respectively. The team also increased the number of doubles, adding 20 more than the previous season. Jessie Niegocki’s 66 hits were the most by a Bronc since 2006, which guided her to a season-ending rank of 68th nationally in Division I. Senior Grace Stansfield had the best season of her career, finishing the season with a team-leading .363 average and 62 hits, and a national ranking for one of the toughest hitters to strikeout – striking out only once every 15.1 at-bats.
In 2021, following an abbreviated 2020 season due to COVID-19, the Broncs earned their first MAAC Tournament berth since 2006 – just the fourth time in 24 years in the league. The Broncs’ 17 wins tied for the most for the program since 2012 and their .459 winning percentage was the best in the program since 2006. The 2021 Broncs offense finished second in the conference in team batting average with five players finishing the season with individual averages over .300, including Lani Moreno who hit .415. As a team, Rider only struck out 135 times and had the most hits in the MAAC conference (301). Elena Gonzalez and Lani Moreno were both named to the All-MAAC First Team, marking the first time since 2004 that Rider Softball has had multiple All-League First-Team honorees.
The 2019 Broncs continued to make program-building progress, posting double-digit victories for the second year in a row. Kelsey Marigliano gave Rider a second-straight All-MAAC Selection, being named to the Second Team after leading the team with a .323 batting average, .390 on-base percentage, 53 hits, 60 total bases, 25 runs scored, five stolen bases and 17 walks. Her 53 hits were the second-most in the last 12 years or Rider Softball since Tiffany Day-Neutill had 61 in 2007.
In his first season at Rider, the Broncs enjoyed an 11-game improvement in wins, including a seven-win jump in conference play. As the program’s primary hitting coach, Ortega breathed life into the Broncs’ offense, amplifying the team stats in all offensive categories. It was easy to see how Ortega picked up where he left off at Holy Family as the Rider team batting average saw a boost from .210 in 2017 to .273 in 2018, which was the second-best in the MAAC and ranked Rider 115th nationally in Division I. It was Ortega’s philosophy and vision that guided the Broncs offense to triple their runs scored and RBIs from the 2017 season. The offense also boasted 118 more hits and touched 177 more bases than the previous season. Under Ortega’s guidance, the Broncs finished the season ranked 79th in the nation in scoring and 34th in triples per game.
In Ortega’s tenure at Holy Family, the offense saw a steady increase in batting average, RBIs, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and runs scored as well as a steady decrease in team strikeouts. In 2017, a year after setting new program records in runs scored, hits, doubles, triples and total bases in 2016, the Tigers elevated the program bests in team batting average, runs scored, hits, doubles and RBIs. Proof of the Tiger’s aggressive offensive strategy, the 2016 team picked up a 75% stolen base percentage – second highest only to the 2014 team. During the 2015 season, Ortega and Treon’s offense earned what at the time was the second highest team batting average of the program’s NCAA era and the highest since the 2007 season. The 2014 squad put together one of the best offensive seasons in program history including establishing new team records for batting average, hits, RBIs, slugging percentage, walks, runs scored and on-base percentage.
Prior to his time at Holy Family, Ortega was the assistant coach for the Colorado Respect boys baseball team, where he guided and mentored multiple players to earning spots on the varsity squads for their high school teams as freshman.
Ortega began in coaching career in 1982 as the head coach for the Denver West High School Legion A baseball team in Denver, Colorado. From 1990 until 1997, he coached all levels of girl’s fastpitch (12U-16U).
As a player, Ortega was a member of the varsity baseball team at Denver West High School and Otero Junior College.
In March of 2016, Ortega retired as a Captain from the Denver Sheriff Department after 24 years of service. He and his wife Melissa, currently reside in Aurora, Colorado.
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