Binghamton University Athletics

In the five seasons since she was named the head coach at her alma mater in August 2021, Jess Bump has steered the Binghamton softball program to the top of the America East Conference. She has run up a record of 142-102 (.581) as well as a 65-28 (.698) mark in conference games. Bump - who earned America East Coach of the Year honors in both 2024 and 2025 - has guided the Bearcats to the 2025 and 2026 America East crowns as well as 2024 and 2025 regular-season titles. In addition, Binghamton has earned bids to the last two NCAA Tournaments as the conference champion.

Under Bump’s leadership, Binghamton’s 118 victories since 2023 represents its best four-year stretch in program history. In addition, in 2024 and 2025, the Bearcats recorded back-to-back 30+ win seasons for the first time in program history (with 33 and 36 respectively).

With Bump at the helm, Binghamton has also had a historical impact within the America East Conference. The Bearcats are the only softball team in America East history to post its Player of the Year three consecutive seasons (Allison L’Amoreaux in 2024, Elisa Allen in 2025 and Rachel Carey in 2026). Carey is also just the second player in America East history to be named both its Player of the Year and Tournament Most Outstanding Performer during the same season. In 2025, meanwhile, Binghamton became the first program in America East history to post all four major award winners in the same year. In addition to Allen and Bump, Carey was the Rookie of the Year and Brianna Roberts was the Pitcher of the Year.

Bump and the Bearcats have earned both regional and national recognition during her tenure. Binghamton has posted eight National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association (NFCA) All-Region selections - including a program-record four picks in 2025 - as well as six ECAC All-Stars. Bump herself was named the 2025 ECAC Coach of the Year. In addition, the Bearcats were ranked in the 2025 D1Softball.com Top-25 Mid-Major Poll for five weeks, finishing the season at No. 17. Binghamton was also ranked in the Mid-Major Poll twice during the 2026 campaign. 

Since 2022, Binghamton has posted 30 America East All-Conference selections as well as 14 All-Academic honorees and eight All-Rookie picks. The Bearcats also produced the 2025 America East Softball Scholar Athlete of the Year in Emma Lawson as well as that season’s America East Elite 18 Award winner in Lindsey Walter. 

Along with the Bearcats’ victories over the past four seasons have come several impressive statistical program records. Binghamton’s 68 home runs in 2025 shattered the previous mark of 50 home runs (which had been set twice). In 2026, the Bearcats hit an additional 52 home runs. The Bearcats’ 83 doubles in 2024, meanwhile, broke the 1997 mark (of 73 doubles). That record was broken again, with 85 doubles in 2026.

Defensively, Binghamton has posted its top three fielding percentage performances in program history during Bump’s head coaching career. The 2024 program record of .970 is followed by the 2023 and 2025 marks of .966. In addition, the Bearcats’ 2.80 team ERA in 2025 represented its best performance since 2013. 

Besides its 11 America East All-Academic selections over the past four years, Binghamton turned in a 3.56 overall team GPA during the Spring 2024 semester, a 3.59 GPA in the Spring 2023 semester, a 3.55 GPA in the Spring of 2025 as well as a 3.57 GPA over the course of the Spring 2022 semester. Since 2023, the Bearcats have also landed 20 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honorees.

Bump was Binghamton's top assistant coach from 2017-21 but was the acting coach for four games while then head coach Michelle Johnston was on maternity leave.

No stranger to the Binghamton softball program, Bump arrived back at her alma mater following a standout playing career as well as a pair of seasons in the college coaching ranks.

In 2016, Bump was at Lafayette College, where she was the top assistant softball coach. The Leopards more than tripled their win total (from four to 13), improved their batting average by 26 points (.219 to .245) and broke the program record with a .967 fielding percentage. In addition, the squad set the program mark with a 3.52 GPA during the fall 2015 semester and topped it with a 3.58 GPA this past spring.

Prior to her stint at Lafayette, Bump was the graduate assistant coach at Kentucky during the 2015 season. She was part of a staff that steered the Wildcats to an appearance in the NCAA Super Regionals against eventual national champion Florida.

A 2014 graduate of Binghamton, Bump was a two-time, first-team America East all-conference selection (2013 & 2014) and a first-team ECAC All-Star in 2013. In 2013, she was named the Binghamton University Co-Female Athlete of the Year as well as the America East Scholar Athlete of the Year. In addition, Bump was a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athlete and was inducted into the National College Athlete Honor Society in 2012. 

Before coming to Binghamton, Bump graduated from nearby Windsor High School in 2010, where she was named all-state twice by the New York State Sports Writers Association (NYSSWA).


BINGHAMTON SOFTBALL UNDER COACH BUMP
- 2025 & 2026 America East Champions
- 2024 & 2025 America East Regular-Season Champions
- 2025 & 2026 NCAA Tournament qualifier
- 118 victories over the past four seasons (2023-26) - its best four-year stretch in program history
- Ranked in the 2025 & 2026 D1Softball.com Mid-Major Polls
- 8 First-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selections
- 6 ECAC All-Stars
- 30 All-Conference selections
- 14 America East All-Academic selections
- 8 America East All-Rookie selections
- The 2024, 2025 & 2026 America East Player of the Year
- The 2023 & 2025 America East Rookie of the Year
- The 2025 America East Pitcher of the Year
- The 2025 America East Elite 18 Winner
- 20 CSC Academic All-District selections

THE BUMP FILE
2022-present: Head Coach, Binghamton University
2017-21: Assistant Coach, Binghamton University
2016: Assistant Coach, Lafayette College
2015: Graduate Assistant Coach, University of Kentucky

COACHING HONORS
2025 ECAC Coach of the Year 
2024 & 2025 America East Coach of the Year

PLAYING HONORS
- A two-time, first-team America East All-Conference selection (2013 & 2014)
- A three-time America East All-Academic selection (2012, 2013 & 2014)
- A first-team ECAC All-Star in 2013
- The America East Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2013