Iowa softball head coach Renee Gillispie will step away from the helm for the 2025 season due to a “personal health matter,” the Iowa Athletic Department announced on Tuesday morning. Assistant coach Brian Levin has been named the interim head coach for the upcoming season, per the release.

Gillispie was named the Hawkeyes’ head coach prior to the 2019 season after holding the same role at UCF for 18 years. She held a .608 winning percentage with the Knights, amounting over 600 victories, five conference championships, and four regional title appearances.

Over six seasons with the Hawkeyes, Gillispie compiled a 136-141 overall record, posting two winning seasons. She holds a 50-86 mark in Big Ten play and is the fifth head coach in program history.

Levin has spent two seasons in Iowa City, working primarily with hitters. He holds 12 years of head coaching experience, most recently a three-year stint with Southern Mississippi. Including stops at Southern Mississippi, Belmont, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Levin boasts a 405-215 overall record.

The Hawkeyes went 18-28 overall last season and finished last in the Big Ten. They open the 2025 season on Feb. 7 with a doubleheader in Clearwater, Florida, taking on Kennesaw State and Tennessee.

The Big Ten will receive a boost in competition with the additions of UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, each of whom earned at least 30 wins last season and advanced to the NCAA regional. The Bruins finished 2024 with a 43-12 mark and advanced to the College World Series. The Hawkeyes host the Bruins for a two-game series on March 22 and 23.