University of Evansville Athletics

Former Evansville pitcher Jarrett Blunt was named the Purple Aces pitching coach in the summer of 2024. Blunt spent the year prior as a graduate assistant for Evansville after completing a five year collegiate pitching career.

A pitcher for the Aces in 2023 as a graduate transfer, Blunt was a consistent reliever for UE with nine appearances and two starts. Blunt finished the year going 5-1 in 22 appearances and six starts for Evansville, while ranking sixth in the Valley with a 3.64 ERA in regular season play.  Blunt also ranked among the Valley's best in innings pitched (64.1 IP), strikeouts (65) and batting average against (.260) in his lone season in a Purple Aces' uniform. 

Highlights for Blunt during his season at UE include being named the MVC Pitcher of the Week during the final week of the regular season for his performance against UIC on 5/20/23. Against the Flames, Blunt threw a career-best 7.0 innings, allowed just a single run in the first inning, and five hits total while striking out seven batters. Blunt also earned MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team honors as he posted a 3.94 GPA while pursuing his Master's of Science in Leadership at UE. 

Prior to his time in Evansville, Blunt spent two years at the University of Omaha with the Mavericks. During his two years wearing the black and red, Blunt made 30 appearances with a 1-4 record, three saves, and a combined 7.05 ERA. In 44.2 innings of work as a Maverick Blunt allowed 59 hits, 51 runs, 35 earned runs, 23 walks, and 31 strikeouts. In the field, Blunt had a perfect 1.00 fielding percentage with eight catches from one putout and seven assists. Off the field, Blunt was named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll.

Blunt began his collegiate pitching career at NJCC Iowa Central Community College, spending two seasons with the Tritons. Blunt made 12 appearances for the Tritons in his freshman season, where he earned second team all-conference honors and helped the Tritons to a second-place finish in the conference standings. Blunt went 6-3 with a 5.37 ERA as a rookie, striking out 62 men in 60.2 innings of work. Blunt was unable to make an appearance for the Tritons his sophomore year due to the COVID-19 shortened season.

A native of Ottumwa, Iowa, Blunt was a standout pitcher as his senior year he was a first-team all-Courier, all-district, and all-conference selection at Ottumwa High School. During his senior season Blunt went 5-3 with 71 strikeouts in 47 innings of work and threw two no-hitters in consecutive starts as a senior He was rated as the 11th-best right-handed pitcher, and 15th-best player in Iowa as a senior by Perfect Game while also lettering in track and field. Blunt still holds the Ottumwa High School 110m hurdles record and was a multi-time state qualifier in the hurdles and shuttle hurdles.