Holy Cross Crusaders softball

For all College of the Holy Cross sports, see Holy Cross Crusaders.
Holy Cross Crusaders softball
UniversityCollege of the Holy Cross
Head coachVacant
ConferencePatriot League
LocationWorcester, MA
Home stadiumFreshman Field (Capacity: 500[1])
NicknameCrusaders
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]

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

Years Coach Record %
1985 Sandy Gentile 6–21 .222
1986 Kathy Feen 5–18 .217
1987–1990 Laura McLain 46–77 .374
1991–1992 Pete Royce 12–61–1 .169
1993–1997 Fran Dyson 62–131–2 .323
1998–2005 Bob Neville 129–219–2 .371
2006–2007 Peter Maneggia 14–74 .159
2008–2016 Brian Claypool 108–305 .262
2017–2021 Jen Lapicki 49–127 .278
2022–2024 Kimberly Stiles 50–100–1 .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
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Holy Cross Crusaders (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (1985–1990)
1985 Sandy Gentile 6–21
1986 Kathy Feen 5–18
1987 Laura McLain 10–17
1988 Laura McLain 7–27
1989 Laura McLain 16–18
1990 Laura McLain 13–15
Holy Cross Crusaders (Patriot League) (1991–present)
1991 Pete Royce 10–29–1 4–8 5th
1992 Pete Royce 2–32 1–11 7th
1993 Fran Dyson 3–29 3–9 7th
1994 Fran Dyson 4–32 1–11 7th
1995 Fran Dyson 17–27 7–5 2nd
1996 Fran Dyson 21–22–1 4–6 3rd
1997 Fran Dyson 15–21–1 6–4 3rd
1998 Bob Neville 31–19–1 15–5 1st
1999 Bob Neville 24–25 12–8 T–1st
2000 Bob Neville 9–27–1 4–6 4th
2001 Bob Neville 16–27 11–9 2nd
2002 Bob Neville 14–35 8–12 4th
2003 Bob Neville 15–28 10–10 3rd
2004 Bob Neville 12–28 5–15 5th
2005 Bob Neville 8–30 3–16 6th
2006 Peter Maneggia 9–35 4–16 6th
2007 Peter Maneggia 5–39 2–18 6th
2008 Brian Claypool 10–31 5–15 6th
2009 Brian Claypool 13–34 6–14 6th
2010 Brian Claypool 14–31 8–12 5th
2011 Brian Claypool 18–31 10–10 3rd
2012 Brian Claypool 9–36 4–16 6th
2013 Brian Claypool 13–31 7–13 5th
2014 Brian Claypool 12–26 7–11 5th
2015 Brian Claypool 11–17 9–9 T–4th
2016 Brian Claypool 8–36 4–14 6th
2017 Jen Lapicki 13–30 8–10 4th
2018 Jen Lapicki 12–33 5–13 6th
2019 Jen Lapicki 14–35 5–13 6th
2020 Jen Lapicki 2–9 0–0 N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 Jen Lapicki 8–20 4–16 6th
2022 Kimberly Stiles 21–29 8–10 2nd
2023 Kimberly Stiles 15–36–1 2–16 7th
2024 Kimberly Stiles 14–35 4–14 6th
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

References

  1. ^ a b "Facilities". Holy Cross Athletics.
  2. ^ "Visual Identity Toolkit". College of the Holy Cross. Retrieved August 4, 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.