REDLANDS, CALIF. — University of Redlands Softball has announced the promotion of Kaitlyn Hooper-Bell to Associate Head Coach, elevating a coach whose ties to the program run from standout pitcher to trusted staff member under Head Coach Jose Ortega.

Hooper-Bell first joined the Redlands staff as an assistant coach in the summer of 2022, returning to the program where she once starred in the circle. Since then, she has become a key part of the Bulldogs' coaching operations, working alongside Ortega on player development and recruiting.  

"This promotion reflects the impact Kaitlyn has made on this program," Head Coach Jose Ortega said in announcing the move. "Her experience, her history with this university, and her commitment to developing student-athletes make her exactly the kind of leader we want at the associate head coach level."

Hooper-Bell's connection to Redlands dates back to her own playing career. After transferring from Santa Ana College, she pitched for the Bulldogs during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and her final campaign remains a program highlight: Redlands reached the NCAA postseason, advanced to the regional final, finished 31-15 overall, and won the SCIAC regular season title that year. By the end of her Redlands career, Hooper-Bell ranked in the Top-10 in eight statistical categories, including innings pitched, ERA, appearances, wins, winning percentage, saves, shutouts, and fewest hits allowed per seven innings. She graduated with a degree in Psychology in 2014, and later earned a master's degree in Kinesiology from California Baptist University in 2017.

Between her playing days and her return to Redlands, Hooper-Bell built an extensive coaching résumé throughout the region.  She spent seven seasons on staff at El Camino College, where she was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2018, working with pitchers and catchers, while also handling recruiting and fundraising duties and helping student-athletes transfer to four-year programs.  She followed that with a stint as Head Coach at Victor Valley College, and later took on an assistant coaching role at Chaffey College, where she focused on player development, practice organization, and recruiting coordination.

Since returning to Redlands, Hooper-Bell has continued to invest in her own development as a leader in the sport. In 2024, she was one of two Redlands coaches selected to represent the university and the SCIAC at the NCAA Women Coaches Academy through WeCOACH. Reflecting on the experience, Hooper-Bell called it "one of the most meaningful professional development opportunities of her career, crediting the program for sharpening the strategies and relationships she now brings back to her athletes."

As the Associate Head Coach, Hooper-Bell will take on expanded responsibilities alongside Ortega, continuing the work in recruiting, player development, and program leadership that has defined her coaching career from El Camino to Chaffey and now back home at Redlands. Her promotion adds further continuity to a Bulldogs staff built on deep experience across Southern California softball, which is fresh off a Division III National Championship title, a SCIAC Regular Season Championship Title, a SCIAC Tournament Title, an NCAA Regional Championship and an NCAA Super Regional Championship.