James DeFeo will be the next head coach of GW softball, Athletic Director Patrick Nero announced Wednesday.

The announcement comes nearly three months after former head coach Stacey Schramm resigned from the post last May after six seasons with the program.

“James has experienced success coaching at the highest level of college softball,” Nero said in a release. “We are excited to bring his knowledge to GW, and we are confident that James will build our program into one of the top competitors in the Atlantic 10.”

Going 23-29 overall and 10-13 in Atlantic 10 play, the Colonials returned to the postseason last spring as the No. 6 seed. Back in the playoffs for the first time in three years, the A-10 tournament hosts were eliminated after losing their first two games to Massachusetts and Saint Louis.

DeFeo, who becomes the program’s sixth head coach since its inception in 2003, comes to GW after six seasons at Mercer University where he led the Bears to consecutive conference championship game appearances in 2014 and 2015. He also owned a winning overall record of 147-134.

Before coaching at Mercer, where he also helped set program bests for regular-season victories, conference wins, hits, runs, home runs, batting average and on-base percentage, the Atlantic City, N.J. native served as associate head coach for LSU softball from 2004-2011.

“The first time that I stepped on the GW campus, I knew I was at a special place,” DeFeo said in a release. “With GW’s standard of excellence in the classroom and their unparalleled commitment to the athletic programs, I see great things happening here. I look forward to being part of this process and bringing GW softball to new levels of success.”

Despite graduating two starters in Carlee Gray and Morgan Matetic this offseason, GW welcomes seven freshmen and returns a handful of key contributors, including sophomore pitcher Sarah Costlow and junior center fielder Monica Macchiarulo, for its 2016-2017 campaign.