Tyler Gunelson

Gunelson comes to Bethany after spending the past academic year as the Head Softball Coach at Rockhurst University, a NCAA Division II institution in Kansas City, Mo. During his tenure, Rockhurst won 21 games and qualified for the conference tournament.

Prior to his time at Rockhurst, Gunelson spent five years as the Head Softball Coach at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan., where the Cougars won 107 games in five seasons. Gunelson began as an Assistant Softball Coach at Barton in Fall 2017 and was promoted to Head Softball Coach in November. In his first season, the Cougars had 14 conference wins, four Academic All-Americans, and two All-Conference players.

2018-19 served as a banner year for Gunelson and Barton Community College. The squad tallied 20 conference wins, was Region VI Tournament Runner-Up, and began receiving votes in the NJCAA National Poll. Gunelson was named Region VI Coach of the Year, and the team had the Region VI Player of the Year, Region VI Freshman of the Year, six All-Conference players, and 10 Academic All-Americans.

In 2019-20, prior to the season being canceled due to Covid-19, Barton tallied 10 wins, was receiving votes in the preseason National Poll, and totaled 11 Academic-All Americans. 2020-21 was another Region VI Tournament Runner Up finish for the Cougars after tallying 11 conference wins, two All-Conference players, and 11 Academic All-Americans.

In his last season at Barton, Gunelson earned his 100th career victory as the Cougars won 25 games, 18 of those in conference, and had four All-Conference players and 14 Academic All-Americans.

Before beginning his career as a softball coach, Gunelson was the Head Baseball Coach at Brown Mackie College-Salina in Salina, Kan. from 2012-2016, while also serving as Athletic Director 2015-16. He began his collegiate baseball coaching career as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Friends University in Wichita, Kan. From 2010-2012.

A native of Salina, Kan., Gunelson holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in sales and marketing from Brown Mackie College-Salina, a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing and management from Newman University, and a Master of Science degree in health, physical education, and recreation from Emporia State University.