Oakland University hired Vince Alessandrini as head coach of its softball program on Tuesday, Aug. 18, bringing a two-time conference Coach of the Year with deep Michigan roots to Rochester.

Alessandrini spent eight seasons leading the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he won two Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference championships and guided the Wolverines to their first NAIA Opening Round appearance in 2022. He takes over a Golden Grizzlies program that improved by seven wins last season and finished 9-9 in Horizon League play.

"Throughout the search process, Vince stood out with his vision for the program and how to achieve student-athlete success on and off the field," director of athletics Steve Waterfield said in the university's announcement.

Waterfield and associate athletic director for administration Jenny Swiatowy conducted the search.

At UM-Dearborn, Alessandrini built quickly. In his first season in 2017, he posted a 30-10 record and a 16-4 conference mark, setting a program record with 15 consecutive WHAC wins and earning the league's Coach of the Year award for the first time in program history. Five years later, his 2022 squad went 30-13, won the WHAC Tournament and punched the program's first ticket to the NAIA Opening Round. He earned Coach of the Year again.

Over those eight seasons he coached 19 All-WHAC selections, one WHAC Player of the Year and one NAIA All-American honorable mention.

Before UM-Dearborn, Alessandrini led Macomb Community College to league and district championships in 2015, earning District Coach of the Year honors and taking the Monarchs to the NJCAA National Championship.

The hire gives Oakland a proven program-builder at the Division I level. The Golden Grizzlies qualified for the 2026 Horizon League Championship and placed six players on the All-League teams, but finished fourth in the conference standings.

Alessandrini called the job a lifelong dream. He inherits a roster that placed six players on the 2026 Horizon League All-League teams.