Bio

Jillian Ortega is entering her third season as head coach of the Mitchell College softball team in 2013-14.

Ortega made her collegiate head coaching debut with the Mariners in 2012, leading the squad to a 16-2 mark in New England Collegiate Conference play. Mitchell won the final 12 games of the regular season and wrapped up the second seed for the NECC Championship, but ultimately fell one game shy of playing in the title round. Six players earned all-conference honorees at the end of the year, led by NECC Rookie of the Year Lindsey Romagnino.

Ortega was a presenter at the Mohegan Sun World Softball Coaches' Convention for three years. The annual event is a coaches' clinic that features a curriculum designed especially for softball coaches and players and attracts more than 1,000 coaches and players from all levels of play. In 2012, Ortega was one of 15 presenters at the event, and the only head coach from a Division III institution.

Prior to joining the Mariners, Ortega most recently served as head coach of the New London High School softball team. Her coaching resume also includes a season as a student assistant at the University of Connecticut, her alma mater.

"We are happy and excited to add Jillian to our coaching staff," said Director of Athletics Maureen White at the time of Ortega's hire. "As evidenced by her playing career at UConn, she has a strong work ethic, a desire for success and an infectious passion for the game. We expect to see those same qualities reflected in the type of student-athlete that she brings in to the Mitchell softball program."

Ortega was a marquee player at UConn, where she was a four-year letterwinner and a three-time All-BIG EAST performer at both shortstop and third base. She was a two-time NFCA Academic All-American and earned NFCA All-Region First Team accolades as a sophomore. Ortega batted .323 for her career and put her stamp on the Huskies' record book. Her 191 total hits, which ranks 12th all-time at UConn, brought in 105 RBI – fifth all-time in school history. She also totaled 19 home runs (fifth), 38 doubles (third), 298 total bases (sixth), 110 runs scored (ninth), and 55 walks (fifth).

Following her playing career, Ortega joined the UConn coaching staff in 2009-10 as a student assistant while finishing her undergraduate degree. She then accepted the head position at New London High School for the 2010-11 season.

A native of Aberdeen, N.J., Ortega was a three-sport letterwinner in softball, basketball and tennis at Matawan Regional High School. She played varsity softball for four years and was a three-time All-Monmouth County and two-time All-Shore selection. As a senior she earned second team All-State recognition and was named Matawan Regional Female Athlete of the Year.