Chad Blackhurst is entering his second season on staff at Utah Valley.
In his first season in 2025, Blackhurst helped lead the Wolverines to their second-straight WAC Tournament semifinal berth. Blackhurst helped coach first team All-WAC shortstop Britney Moreno and third team All-Region utility player Avery Sapp.
Prior to Utah Valley, Blackhurst spent seven seasons (2017-23) as an assistant coach at junior college USU-Eastern in Price, Utah, where he helped establish the softball program and build it into a perennial contender in the tough Scenic West Athletic Conference. At USUE, Blackhurst also served as the team’s recruiting coordinator, helping broaden the program’s recruiting reach beyond the state of Utah.
Before coaching at USUE, Blackhurst was an assistant coach from 2014-17 at Pleasant Grove HS just north of Orem, where he had the opportunity to coach two of his daughters and three of his nieces. Blackhurst helped revitalize the program, with the team qualifying for the state tournament each of his seasons there.
Prior to his coaching days, Blackhurst played 15 years in several men’s fastpitch leagues, including seasons playing both with and against head coach Cody Thomson, as well as one team that was composed almost entirely of family members.
Blackhurst graduated from UVU with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a minor in Marketing. Blackhurst served a two-year mission in Chile for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and enjoys speaking with recruits and their families in Spanish.
Blackhurst and his wife, Pamela, have been married for more than 25 years, and the two have three children and one grandchild. The family owns a small farm where they grow alfalfa, raise horses and chickens, and have a large vegetable and fruit garden. They enjoy hosting the team and their families for gatherings on their property and taking them on horse rides.
