A new chapter is starting for the Dodge City Community College softball program as Mike Viramontez has been named the next Head Coach of the Conquistador softball program. Viramontez becomes only the fifth head softball coach in school history. 

A Wichita, Kansas native and former Conquistador baseball player (2004-2005) Viramontez will look to guide the Conqs softball program into a new era. Most recently working with the Oklahoma State University softball program Viramontez brings a plethora of knowledge with him to Dodge City along with an eagerness to guide the Conqs to success on and off the field. 

When asked what he hopes to accomplish at Dodge City Viramontez said "The obvious answer is WIN, but that's not all though. We will compete at a high level with the best of the best. But more importantly, I hope to build an environment where these young women can have fun and be fearless in their pursuit of what it is they want from life."

"I'm very excited to have Coach Viramontez coming on board as part of Conquistador Athletics. He brings a great approach to coaching the game and also some great connections with very high level softball coaching staffs. I'm excited to see what he can do with his own program again. I believe that the knowledge he has gained working with people like Kenny Gajewski (Oklahoma State University softball Head Coach) is going to make him an excellent leader of our program," said Athletic Director Jacob Ripple about the hiring of Viramontez to take over the softball program.  

Viramontez was part of the coaching staff last year for the OSU Cowgirls that helped the team achieve some great things as the team amassed a 47-16 record on their way to finishing fifth at the Women's College World Series. The OSU Cowgirls claimed Regional and Super Regional titles on their way to qualifying for the WCWS. Prior to last year, he had another stint on OSU Head Coach, Kenny Gajewski's staff working as a volunteer assistant from 2015-17 working with teams that produced several All-Americans, All-Region, and All-Big 12 players along with breaking several school records and making postseason runs. 

In between his two stints on the Cowgirls coaching staff, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of North Texas from 2018-2021 (August). While at North Texas the Mean Green won the Conference USA regular season title in 2019 and 2021, along with setting the best record in school history (38-12 in 2021). While in 2020 he was also part of the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited League serving as one of the league's facilitators helping lead the league and oversee the competition.

Eager to get to work Viramontez talked about his excitement to take over the Conqs program. "I'm most excited to share. Years back, I was fortunate enough to start to surround myself with the best in the business, both players and coaches alike. Whether it was in the dugout I was in or looking across the diamond at the legends of the game, I was surrounded by the best and they shared with me. They made me good at this and I want to pay that forward. With the hope that leads to fun and winning," said Viramontez. 

This will not be Viramontez's first college head coaching job as he served as head coach at Newman University in Wichita for one season. After working as an assistant coach for the Jets during 2013-14 he took over the program in 2014-15 and led the team to the best season in school history at the time, coaching the NCAA Division II program to their first conference tournament appearance since 2011.

"I'm blessed to have this opportunity and want to thank President, Dr. Harold Nolte and Athletic Director, Jacob Ripple for the trust in me with this opportunity. Beyond that, I want to thank Kenny Gajewski at OSU for his faith in me, leading to the opportunity to gain trust here at DC3. I'm grateful to all of them and excited for the opportunity," said Viramontez. 

His coaching career also includes a stop at Southern Arkansas University in 2012-13 as an assistant along with multiple other opportunities including coaching high school baseball in Kansas at Bishop Carroll and Andale high schools. 

Viramontez suited up for the Conq baseball team back for the 2005 season and eventually transferred to Newman before finishing college at Fort Hays State University where he earned his bachelor's degree in general studies with an emphasis in human health promotion.

"College athletics is about the student-athletes and their experience. It will be my first effort to give these young women a good experience while attending school and playing softball at DC3. I want to have fun! I hope to do that through empowering them to be the best versions of themselves while developing them as ball players," said Viramontez on how he hopes to impact DC3 and the softball program.