Randy Simkins was the honorary guest speaker for the 2024 National Tournament
Check back to meet our 2025 Guest Speaker.
In 15 seasons at Utah Tech, Simkins has posted a 556-218 (.718) record, leading the Trailblazers to four regular-season PacWest Conference championships and the 2019 RMAC Tournament title. Additionally, Simkins led Utah Tech to 10 consecutive NCAA Division II Regional appearances, including four Super-Region appearances and a berth in the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship game.
The Trailblazers are coming off a 35-18 (.660) overall mark in 2023 while winning the WAC regular season with a 19-5 (.792) mark. Utah Tech led the WAC in team batting average (.342), hits (511), doubles (114), triples (15), on-base percentage (.417), hits per game (9.64), runs per game (6.92) and walks allowed (80).
The 2022 season ended with a 19-32 record and an improved fifth place finish in the Western Athletics Conference west division. The team played a very competitive Division one schedule taking on teams from the SEC and Pac-12 in non-conference play. It was a season highlighted by wins against good teams including winning records against instate rivals Utah State and Southern Utah and splitting with Utah Valley.
The 2021 season saw the Trailblazers finish with a 19-30 record and sixth place in their division. This was the Trailblazers first season as a Division I program competing in the Western Athletic Conference. The Trailblazers made a great adjustment to Division I play and had a strong showing for their first season as Division I.
The 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19 but prior to the latter half of the season being canceled the Trailblazers were at 19-7 record with a 7-5 record in conference play. The Trailblazers were in their final season of Division II playing in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and were in sixth place when the remainder of the season was canceled.
The 2019 season saw the Trailblazers post a 42-13 overall record and make their 11th consecutive NCAA Division II Regional appearance. The team finished its debut season in the Rocky Mountain Athletic conference with a 31-9 record, taking the No. 3 seed into the conference tournament. The Trailblazers notched a 5-1 record at the tournament to claim its first-ever tournament championships. The Trailblazers posted three wins, including two victories over No. 1 seed and host Colorado Mesa, on championship Saturday to claim the title and advance to the NCAA Division II South Central Regionals in Commerce, Texas.
The 2018 season started off with a school record 20 straight wins to open the season. With an overall record of 42-10 the team matched the third highest win total in school history. With a PacWest conference record of 24-8, the Trailblazers set school records in walks drawn (214),and fewest errors in a season (47). The Trailblazers also hit led the PacWest in overall team batting average for a fifth consecutive year and seventh year overall since joining the conference.
Qualifying for the NCAA Regionals for a West Region leading tenth consecutive time, the Trailblazers again swept the NCAA Regional 1 on the road, this year held at Concordia Irvine. They defeated Cal State San Bernardino 5-4 and Concordia Irvine twice, 3-2 on Friday and 4-3 on Saturday to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the fourth time in five years. The Trailblazers hosted NCAA Super Regionals against top ranked Chico State. They fell to Chico State 6-0 on the first day. The Trailblazers then responded to defeat Chico in game two 5-2, but dropped the West Region championship game by a score of 4-3 to put an end to a great season.
2017 was another strong year for the Trailblazers softball. With an overall record of 42-14 the program posted the third highest win total in school history. Finishing second in the PacWest with a 24-8 conference record, the team set school records in walks drawn (197), walks given up (98) and stolen bases (135). Qualifying for the NCAA Regionals for a West Region leading ninth consecutive time, the Trailblazers swept the NCAA Regional 1 held at CSU Monterey Bey defeating Sonoma State 5-4, Western Washington 5-0 and Sonoma State 7-4 to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for the third time in four years. The Trailblazers fell to top ranked Humboldt State 3-2 in 8 innings on the first day and dropped game two of the Super Regional 8-6 to Humboldt to end their 2017 post season run.
Replacing seven seniors for the 2016 season proved to be quite a challenge but one that the Trailblazers took on with an excellent mix of incoming talent and experienced players who had been in the CWS each of the two previous seasons. The team finished second in the PacWest with a 24-8 conference record, hit a conference best .335 as a team and rounded out the year with the fifth highest win total in the DII era, with a 36-15 overall record. The 2016 team also earned their eighth consecutive trip to the NCAA Regionals.
2015 was another record setting season for Simkins and the Trailblazers. A slow 6-5 start, followed by an incredible 46-3 finish, earned Simkins and a program best 52-8 overall record. The team powered to a PacWest Conference best 31-1 record for a third consecutive conference title. As a team, they led the PacWest conference in team batting average, ERA and fielding percentage.
Earning the right to host both the NCAA West Regional and Super Regional rounds on their home field, the Trailblazers went undefeated through both weekends to earn their second consecutive NCAA Division II West Region championship and earned their third overall trip to the NCAA Division II College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team started the CWS impressively, winning 1-0 over Cal (Pa.) in the first round, 2-0 over Adelphi in the second round, and 10-6 over Cal (Pa.) in the semi final round to earn the programās first (and Trailblazers Athletic departmentās first) trip to the national championship game. After winning its first eight 2015 postseason games the impressive run would end in disappointment, falling to North Georgia 5-0 in the national title game.
Simkins was named PacWest Coach of the Year in 2015, and the Trailblazers softball coaching staff was named the 2015 NFCA West Region Coaching Staff of the Year for the second consecutive season.
The 2014 season was a historic season, in fact the best season in the programsās softball history up to that point. They went 51-10, won a second consecutive PacWest conference championship and earned a sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. Hosting and winning the West Region championship earned the program’s second trip to the NCAA Division II National Championships in Salem, Virginia. A 2-2 record at the national tournament earned the Trailblazers their highest finish in school history with a 3rd place finish. A 2-1 semi-final loss to No. 1 West Texas A&M ended their season, but they set records for wins in a season (51) and consecutive wins (27). They also posted the highest batting average in the NCAA at .365.
Simkins was named PacWest Coach of the Year in 2014 and the Trailblazers softball coaching staff was named the 2014 NFCA West Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
In 2013, the program took another step forward, finishing with a 40-14 record, earning the right to host the NCAA Sub Regional and fell just short of a trip to the Super Regionals losing in the West Sub Regional finals. The team shared the PacWest title, going 25-7 in the league.
In 2012 the softball program reached the NCAA Regionals for their fourth consecutive year and played for the NCAA West Region Championship before falling to the NCAA National runner up. The team finished with a 38-13 record and clinched the PacWest Conference automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals with the #3 seed in the West Regionals. The program also set a new team record with 14 consecutive wins during the season as well as setting a new road games record of 16 wins as well as a record of only 3 losses on the road. The team also set a new record of most wins since joining the PacWest Conference with 26 conference wins.
The 2011 season saw the team advance to its third consecutive NCAA Regional post season tournament, as well as capture their first ever PacWest Conference co-championship since joining the PacWest conference in 2008. That year the team finished sixth in the nation in team batting average. 2011 also produced the programs first All-American since joining the NCAA in sophomore Anna Cue.
In 2010, the program opened up with their highest ever NCAA national ranking at #4 and Simkins led the ream to a 39-14 record with an NCAA Regional appearance where they lost by one run in the championship game. The team finished first in the nation with a .371 team batting average, fourth in slugging percentage (.553) and seventh in scoring (7.53) per game while only having one senior on the roster.
From 2005-2009, Simkins was the head softball coach at Dixie High School, leading the Flyers to the 4A Region 9 title in 2009 as well as shares of the Region 9 title in 2007 and 2008. Seven of his former Dixie High School players have gone on to play college softball.
In 2004, in his first stint at Dixie State, Simkins led DSU, as a junior college program, to a 49-6 record on their way to the Scenic West Region Conference Regular Season Championship, a runner-up finish in the Scenic West Conference tournament and was named the SWAC Region 18 Coach of the year. The team was ranked as the #1 NJCAA team in the nation during the season.
Simkins spent a total of 15 years as a head softball coach in high school, including six years at Canyon View and four at Delta. As an assistant coach at Delta High School, he helped lead them to a 2A state runner up finish in 1992 and a 3A state title in 1993.
He also spent nine years as a head basketball coach in high school. Six years at Delta High School and three years at Canyon View High School. He also served as an assistant basketball coach for three season at Canyon View, working with the late Steve Hodson, winning the state 3A title in 1999. That year, they were 22-2 and a perfect 10-0 in Region 9 play.
A native of Panaca, Nevada, Simkins attended Lincoln County High School where he was an all-state basketball and baseball player. He then continued his education at Southern Utah University and was a member of the Thunderbird basketball team. As a senior Simkins led the SUU in rebounding, games started and minutes played. He received a B.S degree in 1990 and Master of Education in 2000 both from SUU.
Since 1986, Simkins has played competitive mens fastpitch as a pitcher and continues to travel around the country playing in tournaments.
Randy and his wife Sharlan have six children; Summer, Jarett, Shane, Jillian, Jaselle and Jaxon. They currently reside in Saint George.
