Holy Cross Crusaders softball

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Holy Cross Crusaders
Holy Cross Athletics logo.svg
University College of the Holy Cross
Head coachVacant
Conference Patriot League
Location Worcester, MA
Home stadiumFreshman Field (Capacity: 500 [1] )
Nickname Crusaders
ColorsRoyal purple [2]
 
Conference Tournament championships
1998
Regular Season Conference championships
1998, 1999

The Holy Cross Crusaders softball team represents the College of the Holy Cross in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Patriot League (PL). From 1985 until 1990, the team was a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). [3] The Crusaders were most recently led by head coach Kimberly Stiles. The team plays its home games at Freshman Field located on the university's campus. [1]

Contents

History

The Crusaders have found minimal success since becoming a Division I program. The program has won the Patriot League regular season title twice, winning the title outright in 1998 and sharing it in a four way tie in 1999. The team won the conference tournament in 1998 after defeating Lehigh by a score of 4-3, their only championship in program history. [4] [5] Because 1998 was the final year before the expansion of the NCAA tournament, the Crusaders did not automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament. [6]

Holy Cross has won several individual awards during their time in the Patriot League. Pitcher Genoa Grosch was named Patriot League Pitcher of the Year in 1996, 1998, and 1999. [7] Grosch, as well as catcher Michelle Fagnant, were named to the Patriot League 1990s All-Decade team. [8] [9] Former coaches Fran Dyson, Bob Neville, and Brian Claypool have each been named Patriot League Coach of the Year during their time with the Crusaders, with Dyson winning in 1995, Neville in 1998 and 2001, and Claypool in 2011. [10] [11] [12]

Coaching history

YearsCoachRecord%
1985Sandy Gentile6–21.222
1986Kathy Feen5–18.217
1987–1990Laura McLain46–77.374
1991–1992Pete Royce12–61–1.169
1993–1997Fran Dyson62–131–2.323
1998–2005Bob Neville129–219–2.371
2006–2007Peter Maneggia14–74.159
2008–2016Brian Claypool108–305.262
2017–2021Jen Lapicki49–127.278
2022–2024Kimberly Stiles50–100–1.334

[13]

Roster

2024 Holy Cross Crusaders roster
 

Pitchers

  • 11 – Maya Gallagher – Freshman
  • 27 – Zoey McDonough – Freshman
  • 19 – Sophia Roncone – Sophomore
  • 10 – Avery Toddings – Freshman
  • 9 – Jena Whipple – Junior
  • 30 – Megan Yurchick – Senior

Catchers

  • 6 – Emma Fong – Junior
  • 4 – Morgan Jensen – Senior
 

Outfielders

  • 5 – Jenna Alesandrelli – Sophomore
  • 23 – Morgan Kane – Sophomore
  • 24 – Ali Sniegocki – Sophomore

Infielders

  • 2 – Bailey Bates – Senior
  • 18 – Anna Brait – Sophomore
  • 2 – Ava Gambichler – Freshman
  • 1 – Abbie Gold – Sophomore
  • 20 – Caroline Higgins – Freshman
  • 3 – Emma Pietrzak – Freshman

Utility

  • 13 – Jessica Mott – Senior
  • 12 – Callie Thibault – Junior
 
Reference: [14]

Season by season results

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Holy Cross Crusaders (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)(1985–1990)
1985Sandy Gentile 6–21
1986Kathy Feen 5–18
1987Laura McLain 10–17
1988Laura McLain 7–27
1989Laura McLain 16–18
1990Laura McLain 13–15
Holy Cross Crusaders (Patriot League)(1991–present)
1991Pete Royce 10–29–14–85th
1992Pete Royce 2–321–117th
1993Fran Dyson 3–293–97th
1994Fran Dyson 4–321–117th
1995Fran Dyson 17–277–52nd
1996Fran Dyson 21–22–14–63rd
1997Fran Dyson 15–21–16–43rd
1998Bob Neville 31–19–115–51st
1999Bob Neville 24–2512–8T–1st
2000Bob Neville 9–27–14–64th
2001Bob Neville 16–2711–92nd
2002Bob Neville 14–358–124th
2003Bob Neville 15–2810–103rd
2004Bob Neville 12–285–155th
2005Bob Neville 8–303–166th
2006Peter Maneggia 9–354–166th
2007Peter Maneggia 5–392–186th
2008Brian Claypool 10–315–156th
2009Brian Claypool 13–346–146th
2010Brian Claypool 14–318–125th
2011Brian Claypool 18–3110–103rd
2012Brian Claypool 9–364–166th
2013Brian Claypool 13–317–135th
2014Brian Claypool 12–267–115th
2015Brian Claypool 11–179–9T–4th
2016Brian Claypool 8–364–146th
2017Jen Lapicki 13–308–104th
2018Jen Lapicki 12–335–136th
2019Jen Lapicki 14–355–136th
2020Jen Lapicki 2–90–0N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021Jen Lapicki 8–204–166th
2022Kimberly Stiles 21–298–102nd
2023Kimberly Stiles 15–36–12–167th
2024Kimberly Stiles 14–354–146th
Total:481–1,133–6 (.299)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Facilities". Holy Cross Athletics.
  2. "College of the Holy Cross". NCAA.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  3. "HOLY CROSS CROWN JEWEL OF NEW PATRIOT LEAGUE". November 23, 1990.
  4. "Holy Cross Crusader Nation Magazine – Summer 2008 by College of the Holy Cross - Issuu". issuu.com. September 2013.
  5. "HOLY CROSS SWEEPS LEHIGH FOR 1ST PATRIOT TITLE * COSTLY MISTAKES KEEP LEHIGH FROM 5TH TITLE IN 6 YEARS". May 4, 1998.
  6. "1999 NCAA Women's College World Series". Softball History USA. December 3, 2020.
  7. Staff Writer. "Holy Cross to induct five into Hall of Fame". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
  8. "LEHIGH'S PATRIOT TITLE HOPES VANISH WITH A PAIR OF LOSSES * THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS BEAT HOLY CROSS, THEN FALL TO COLGATE AND HC". May 2, 1999.
  9. "Patriot League Announces All-Decade Softball Team". patriotleague.org. 9 July 2001.
  10. "Worcester State Mourns Passing Of Former Mentor, Teacher, Coach Fran Dyson". June 30, 2014 via www.wsulancers.com.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. "2011 Softball All-Patriot League Team and Major Awards Announced". patriotleague.org. 10 May 2011.
  12. "Brian Claypool - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory". UMass Lowell Athletics.
  13. "2023 Year by year Results, Coaching History (PDF)" (PDF). Holy Cross Athletics.
  14. "2024 Softball Roster". Holy Cross Athletics.