{{short description|American softball coach}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Bob Coolen | image = | alt = | caption = | current_title = | current_team = | current_conference = | current_record = | contract = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|1|24}} | birth_place = Somerville, Massachusetts | death_date = | death_place = | player_years1 = 1976–1980 | player_team1 = Wesleyan | player_positions = Pitcher, Wide receiver | coach_years1 = 1985–1989 | coach_team1 = Bentley | coach_years2 = 1990–1991 | coach_team2 = Hawaii (asst.) | coach_years3 = 1992–present | coach_team3 = Hawaii | overall_record = {{Winning percentage|1,205|828|1|record=y}} | tournament_record = {{Winning percentage|25|24|record=y}} (NCAA) | championships = 2× Big West regular season (1994, 2013) <br> Big West Tournament (2013) <br> 4× WAC regular season (2003, 2007, 2010, 2012) <br> WAC Tournament (2010) | awards = 2× Big West coach of the year (1994, 2013) <br> 4× WAC coach of the year (2003, 2007, 2010, 2012) | coaching_records = }}
'''Robert Coolen''' (born January 24, 1958) <ref>{{cite web |title=UH SLAMS PAST ALUMNAE, 4-2 |url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2004/1/24/SB_492422.aspx |website=Hawaii Athletics |date=24 January 2004 |accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref> is an American softball coach who was most recently the head coach of the University of Hawaii's softball program.
== Personal life and education == A native of Somerville, Massachusetts, Coolen was a multi-sport athlete at Wesleyan University, where he played wide receiver on the school's football team, a pitcher on the baseball team, and a member of the swim team. He turned down an appointment from the United States Naval Academy to play at Wesleyan.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reardon |first1=Dave |title=Hawaii softball: Bob Coolen still enjoying a grand old time |url=https://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/softball/coolen-still-enjoying-a-grand-old-time/ |website=Hawaii Warrior World |accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref> He graduated from Wesleyan in 1980 with a degree in government and earned a master's degree in human movement from Boston University in 1986. Coolen and his wife Nanci have two children, Demi and Bo. Bo was the associate head coach for the baseball team at Westcliff University.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baseball - 2019-2020 – Regular Season - Roster - #34 – Bo Coolen - |url=https://www.westcliffathletics.com/roster_players/38387934?subseason=621199 |website=Westcliff Athletics |accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref> He has since moved to Grace College as co-head coach of the softball team with his wife Sam.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bo Coolen |url=https://gclancers.com/sports/softball/roster/coaches/bo-coolen/1608 |website=Grace College Athletics |accessdate=26 February 2022}}</ref>
== Coaching career == Coolen started his coaching career at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, working as the head coach of the university's softball team and swimming team. In addition to his duties as the head coach of the two teams, Coolen also served as the equipment and facilities manager. Coolen left Bentley to join Rayla Allison's coaching staff at Hawaii in 1990 as an assistant.
=== Hawaii === After Allison resigned to become the first full-time executive director of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Coolen was named the head coach of the Wahine softball team in 1992.<ref>{{cite web |title=Highlights from the '90s |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2001/Aug/28/sp/sp12a.html |website=Honolulu Advertiser |accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref>
Coolen and his staff led a 2010 Wahine squad that shattered the record for most home runs by a team in a single season, en route to a WAC championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hays |first1=Graham |title=Hawaii aims for home run record |url=http://www.espn.com/college-sports/blog/_/name/college_sports/id/5167560/hawaii-softball-aims-ncaa-home-run-record |website=ESPN |accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref> Following a win in the Tuscaloosa regional over #1 seed Alabama, Hawaii advanced to the Women's College World Series, the Wahine's first and only Women's College World Series appearance to date.
Coolen earned his 1000th win on April 13, 2019, with a 5–2 win over UC Santa Barbara, joining Dave Shoji, Les Murakami, and Jim Schwitters as the only coaches to win 1,000 games in the history of the university's athletic department.<ref>{{cite web |title=University of Hawaii softball coach Bob Coolen reaches 1,000-win club |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/04/14/sports/hawaii-beat/university-of-hawaii-softball-coach-bob-coolen-reaches-1000-win-club/ |website=Star-Advertiser |date=14 April 2019 |accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Carlson |first1=Kainoa |title=Coolen set to join illustrious 1,000 win club |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2019/04/11/coolen-set-join-illustrious-win-club/ |website=Hawaii News Now |date=11 April 2019 |accessdate=6 July 2020}}</ref>
Coolen signed a two-year contract extension in 2023 to remain the head coach at Hawaii through the 2025 season, which is scheduled to be his final season before retirement.<ref name="Contract extension_StarAdvertiser">{{cite web |last1=Kaneshiro |first1=Jason |title=UH softball coach Coolen gets new — final — deal through 2025 |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/05/19/sports/uh-softball-coach-coolen-gets-new-final-deal-through-2025/ |website=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |date=19 May 2023 |access-date=20 May 2023}}</ref> Coolen officially retired after the 2025 season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shimabuku |first1=Christian |title=Bob Coolen's final home weekend at UH all about family |url=https://alohastatedaily.com/2025/05/04/bob-coolens-final-home-weekend-at-uh-all-about-family/ |website=Aloha State Daily |access-date=6 April 2026}}</ref>
== Head coaching record == {{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason= | poll = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |name = Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine |startyear = 1992 |conference = Big West Conference |endyear = 1996 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1992 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 34–33 | conference = 13–23 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1993 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 24–35 | conference = 9–23 | confstanding = 8th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1994 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 51–14 | conference = 25–7 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1995 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 47–21 | conference = 21–11 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1996 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 36–25 | conference = 15–17 | confstanding = 6th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |name = Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine |startyear = 1997 |conference = Western Athletic Conference |endyear = 2012 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1997 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 37–25–1 | conference = 18–14 | confstanding = 4th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1998 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 46–15 | conference = 22–8 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1999 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 35–23 | conference = 16–8 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2000 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 25–24 | conference = 11–9 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2001 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 46–18 | conference = 16–4 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2002 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 35–25 | conference = 15–9 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 2003 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 40–20 | conference = 17–3 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2004 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 28–33 | conference = 10–14 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2005 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 31–21 | conference = 12–6 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2006 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 32–22 | conference = 10–7 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 2007 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 50–13 | conference = 16–2 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Super Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2008 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 40–21 | conference = 10–7 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2009 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 30–24 | conference = 15–6 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 2010 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 50–16 | conference = 19–1 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = Women's College World Series }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2011 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 37–18 | conference = 14–7 | confstanding = 4th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 2012 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 44–9 | conference = 17–3 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |name=Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine |startyear=2013 |conference=Big West Conference |endyear=present }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 2013 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 45–13 | conference = 20–4 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2014 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 22–28 | conference = 7–14 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2015 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 32–22 | conference = 13–8 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2016 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 24–30 | conference = 8–13 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2017 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 26–23 | conference = 8–13 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2018 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 23–27 | conference = 7–14 | confstanding = T–7th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2019 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 33–16 | conference = 14–7 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2020 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 9–15{{#tag:ref|Season not played past March 11 due to COVID-19 pandemic|group="n"}} | conference = 0–0 | confstanding = – | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2021 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 12–19 | conference = 11–13 | confstanding = 6th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2022 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 23–19 | conference = 17–10 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2023 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 30–23 | conference = 13–14 | confstanding = T–5th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2024 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 20–26 | conference = 13–12 | confstanding = 4th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2025 | name = Hawai'i | overall = 33–20 | conference = 17–10 | confstanding = T–2nd | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Hawaii | overall = {{Winning percentage|1,133|736|1|record=y}} | confrecord = {{Winning percentage|469|321|record=y}} }} {{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = {{Winning percentage|1,205|828|1|record=y}} }}
=== Notes === {{reflist|group="n"}}
== See also == * List of college softball coaches with 1,000 wins
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *[https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/coaches/bob-coolen/2281 Hawaii profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coolen, Bob}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Somerville, Massachusetts Category:American football wide receivers Category:Wesleyan Cardinals baseball players Category:Wesleyan Cardinals football players Category:Wesleyan University alumni Category:Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College) alumni Category:Bentley Falcons softball coaches Category:American swimming coaches Category:Hawaii Rainbow Wahine softball coaches Category:Softball coaches from Massachusetts