Chris Piperno recently resigned his position as Southwestern Community College head baseball coach, but he’s not going far, just one field to the west, to lead the Southwestern softball program. Not only will Southwestern retain Piperno, but Danny Jensen, who recently stepped down from the softball head coaching position, will assist Piperno in an assistant coaching role.
Coming to Iowa from Delray Beach, Florida, Piperno has lived in Creston and coached at Southwestern since June 2022. He had a tremendous first year at the helm of the Spartans being named the ICCAC DI Coach of the Year following the 2023 season. He led Southwestern baseball to the most wins in more than 20 years. During his time coaching at the college level, Piperno has had 17 student athletes go on to sign professional contracts, with four being drafted in the Major League Baseball draft.
Piperno is extremely complimentary toward Jensen and how he has re-built Southwestern softball.
He explained, “Coach Jensen has done a tremendous job here during his tenure and I am looking forward to continuing to build on the solid foundation.”
Piperno said he has always worked closely with and admired the softball programs at the institutions where he has been employed. That respect for the game is what guided him to apply for the open position.
“The game of softball has three major characteristics that have always stood out to me, and those are passion, care, and energy,” stated Piperno. “Those characteristics make-up my core as well, and I am looking forward to working with this new group of dedicated student-athletes both on and off the field.”
Cole Higgins, Southwestern athletic director, is pleased to keep both Piperno and Jensen at the college.
“I am really excited for the hire of Chris Piperno as head coach for our softball program,” Higgins said. “Already respected and involved in the athletic department and the community, I am confident he will hit the ground running as he makes this shift to a different athletic program.”
Higgins reiterated Piperno’s analysis of Southwestern softball today.
“Danny Jensen and his staff put great effort into making the Spartan softball program so well respected. Being able to retain Danny as a volunteer assistant will be a huge bonus as we continue to recruit talented student-athletes. I expect a smooth transition and I can’t wait to watch them work together to continue increasing the wins and excelling in the classroom.”
Piperno has a bachelor’s degree in American studies and a master’s degree in sports administration. He will begin in his new role immediately.