Natalia Ardagna
Head Coach
Natalia Ardagna enters her 20th season as the Head Coach at UMass Boston where she has led the Beacons program since 2007. As the winningest coach in UMass Boston softball history, Ardagna has established herself as one of the most successful and respected coaches in NCAA Division III softball.
During her tenure, she has guided the program to four Little East Conference championships, including three tournament titles and one regular-season championship. Under her leadership, UMass Boston has earned appearances in three NCAA Regional Tournaments and advanced to an NCAA Super Regional. Ardagna has developed numerous standout student-athletes, including 45 All-Conference selections, three Little East Conference Players of the Year, five NFCA All-Region performers, two Academic All-Americans, and one NCAA All-American.
In recognition of her success and impact, Ardagna was named the Little East Conference Coach of the Year in 2024.
Prior to joining UMass Boston, Ardagna served as Head Softball Coach at Simmons College from 2006 to 2007, after previously working as an assistant coach within the program. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes excellence in competition, academic achievement, leadership development, and community service. She has also created and directed numerous youth softball clinics throughout the region, helping to grow the game and develop future generations of athletes.
Josh Bartley
Assistant Coach
Josh Bartley enters his 21st season as Assistant Softball Coach for the Beacons Softball program, where he has helped develop numerous All-Conference and All-Region student-athletes while contributing to one of the most successful periods in program history.
During his tenure with the Beacons, Bartley has worked with some of the most accomplished players in UMass Boston softball history. Over 45 All-Conference selections, 4 Little East Conference Player of the Year, and 6 All-Region honorees. More recently, Bartley was part of the coaching staff that worked with Bri Melchionda, who became the first player in UMass Boston softball history to earn NFCA Division III All-American honors in 2025. Melchionda also earned LEC Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Conference recognition, NFCA First Team All-Region honors, and became the program's first College Sports Communicators Academic All-American.
Bartley has also been part of UMass Boston's championship success. In 2017, the Beacons captured their first-ever Little East Conference regular-season and tournament championships, then followed with another LEC Tournament title in 2018. Bartley assumed the team's third-base coaching responsibilities during that period and helped the 2017 squad produce a league-high 227 runs.
Bartley enjoyed an excellent athletic career at Westminster College, where he was a four-time Academic All-Conference performer in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. His athletic prowess wasn't limited to the gridiron in high school as he earned 11 letters in three sports, at Fulton H.S., with four in baseball and football and three in basketball.
Bartley, who also served on the UMass Boston women's basketball coaching staff, graduated from Westminster in 2000 and earned a masters of education degree from University of Missouri-Columbia three years later.
