Longtime Baylor Pitching Coach Britni Newman Receives Promotion

Changes to Glenn Moore's coaching staff are rare occurrences, but on Monday, the longtime Baylor softball head coach announced two changes to his staff.

Longtime pitching coach Britni Newman earned a promotion to associate head coach. Meanwhile, Moore brought on Steve “Hoot” Johnigan to fill the vacancy left by retiring associate head coach Mark Lumley.

Newman has been on Moore’s staff for 17 seasons, helping develop countless Baylor pitchers through the years.

“I’m honored, humbled that Coach Moore would consider me for this promotion,” Newman told reporters on a Zoom call. “Being able to be a part of Baylor all these years, (to) be able to coach our young women and continue to mentor them, teach them about the game.”

Moore mentioned that Newman has had multiple chances to leave the Lady Bears for other coaching opportunities, but she’s instead decided to stay with the Baylor program. Newman’s influence in the circle has guided Baylor to four Women’s College World Series appearances since her arrival in 2004.

“We always say that pitching is the name of this game,” Moore said. “You can have a great team without pitching, and you’re not going to win. And you can have an okay team with great pitching and you’re going to win. Her role is vital and we have one of the best in the country.”

There has been a standard, a culture Moore has built during his time at Baylor. There’s a reason Lumley was by his side for two decades. It’s the exact reason behind Newman’s career choice to remain on Moore’s staff.

“What does Baylor stand for? Not only what it has been to me, but hopefully what I can (do to) continue to help and grow the mission of Baylor,” Newman said. “Being able to be a part of that has been a dream of mine...(I've) been here so long that it’s easy for people to say, ‘been here, done that, time to move on,’ but my job as a coach, a mentor to our women, we have a calling and Baylor is where it’s at right now.”

The new title of assistant softball coach adds to a long list of titles for Johnigan. After serving as the hitting coach for 20 years for the Baylor baseball program, Johnigan has been the Associate Director of Athletic Facilities and Operations the past five years. That has also included stepping in for Lumley, who suffered a hip injury, in 2019 as the softball hitting coach and radio color analyst for Baylor baseball.

According to Moore, seven or eight candidates were interviewed for the position that Johnigan eventually won.

“You look at his resume and we’re very blessed to have him join us,” Moore said. “We’ve watched him coach for years at Baylor and got to know him as a personal friend...We all agreed that the credentials, the experience, wisdom and the definition about what a Baylor coach should be about was Hoot Johnigan. This world needs more Hoot Johnigans coaching young people.”

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