The La Salle Explorers softball team represented La Salle University in NCAA Division I college softball from 1973 until 2021. From 1986 until 1992, the team was a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). From 1993 until 1995, the team was a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (MCC). From 1995 until the school's final season in 2021, they were a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). The Explorers were most recently led by interim head coach Sarah Prezioso. The team formerly played its home games at West Campus Field, which is located on the college's campus.[3]
La Salle Explorers | |
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University | La Salle University |
Head coach | Sarah Prezioso (1st season) |
Conference | Atlantic 10 |
Location | Philadelphia, PA |
Home stadium | West Campus Field |
Nickname | Explorers |
Colors | Blue and gold[1] |
Conference Tournament championships | |
1987, 1989, 1990, 1992[2] | |
Regular Season Conference championships | |
1989, 1990, 1992 |
- For information on all La Salle University sports, see La Salle Explorers
On September 29, 2020, it was announced that the school would be cutting seven athletic programs, including the softball team, citing enrollment and financial issues that were accelerated by the COVID-19 Pandemic.[4][5] The team played its final season in 2021.[6]
History
editAfter joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1987, La Salle found significant success throughout their tenure, winning three regular season championships and four MAAC tournament championships. The Explorers defeated Fairfield to win the tournament in 1989, Army to win in 1990, and Canisius to win in 1992.[7] In 1990, head coach Rick Pohlig was named MAAC Coach of the Year.[8] In 1990 and 1992, pitcher Andrea Huck was named MAAC Player of the Year.[9] For her career accomplishments, Huck was named to the MAAC's 40th Anniversary softball team, along with former teammates Kelli McGahey, Kerri McGahey, and Mary McGrath.[10]
In 1991, it was announced that La Salle would be leaving the MAAC to join the Midwestern Collegiate Conference in an attempt to shift the conference from a regional one to a national one.[11][12] In 1995, it was announced that La Salle would again be switching conferences, this time to the Atlantic 10 Conference.[13] In 1997, catcher Debbie Klawiter was named A-10 Rookie of the Year. In the same year, head coach Ray Perri was named A-10 Coach of the Year, the team's only coaching award during their tenure in the Atlantic 10 Conference.[14] In 2001, infielder Amanda Clark was named A-10 Rookie of the Year.[15][16]
On September 29, 2020, it was announced that the school would be cutting seven athletic programs, including the softball team, citing enrollment and financial issues that were accelerated by the COVID-19 Pandemic.[4][5] The program cuts drew criticism from student-athletes in addition to threats of a Title IX lawsuit.[17][18][19]
Prior to the start of the program's final season in 2021, Brooke Darreff was replaced as head coach by interim Sarah Prezioso.[20] The Explorers finished their final season in 2021 with a 0–30 record, ending the softball program's 48 year history with three regular season championships, four conference tournament championships, and no appearances in the NCAA tournament.
Coaching history
editYears | Coach | Record | % |
---|---|---|---|
1973–1975 | Elanor Snell | 2–17 | .105 |
1976–1991 | Rick Pohlig | 284–214–2 | .570 |
1992–1998 | Ray Perri | 182–171 | .516 |
1999–2002 | Carla Camino | 29–116 | .200 |
2003–2008 | Joe DiPietro | 87–171–1 | .337 |
2009–2012 | Brianne Brown | 36–127 | .221 |
2013–2017 | Ron Shoemaker | 85–132 | .392 |
2018–2020 | Brooke Darreff | 24–77 | .238[15] |
2021 | Sarah Prezioso | 0–30 | .000[6] |
Roster
edit2021 La Salle Explorers final roster | ||||||||
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Utility
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Reference:[21] |
Season by season results
editSeason | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
La Salle Explorers (Independent) (1973–1985) | |||||||||
1973 | Elanor Snell | 0–5 | |||||||
1974 | Elanor Snell | 0–7 | |||||||
1975 | Elanor Snell | 2–5 | |||||||
1976 | Rick Pohlig | 5–1 | |||||||
1977 | Rick Pohlig | 5–3 | |||||||
1978 | Rick Pohlig | 7–5 | |||||||
1979 | Rick Pohlig | 13–1 | |||||||
1980 | Rick Pohlig | 9–2 | |||||||
1981 | Rick Pohlig | 23–13 | |||||||
1982 | Rick Pohlig | 19–11 | |||||||
1983 | Rick Pohlig | 18–11 | |||||||
1984 | Rick Pohlig | 23–19 | |||||||
1985 | Rick Pohlig | 29–22 | |||||||
La Salle Explorers (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (1986–1992) | |||||||||
1986 | Rick Pohlig | 16–22–1 | [N 1] | [N 2] | |||||
1987 | Rick Pohlig | 22–20 | 3rd | ||||||
1988 | Rick Pohlig | 14–27 | 2nd | ||||||
1989 | Rick Pohlig | 23–24 | 1st | ||||||
1990 | Rick Pohlig | 29–15–1 | 1st | ||||||
1991 | Rick Pohlig | 29–18 | 3rd | ||||||
1992 | Ray Perri | 33–16 | 1st | ||||||
La Salle Explorers (Midwestern Collegiate Conference) (1993–1995) | |||||||||
1993 | Ray Perri | 25–25 | 6–6 | T–4th | |||||
1994 | Ray Perri | 25–23 | 2–8 | T–5th | |||||
1995 | Ray Perri | 26–35 | 6–12 | 6th | |||||
La Salle Explorers (Atlantic 10 Conference) (1996–2021) | |||||||||
1996 | Ray Perri | 23–26 | 9–7 | 4th | |||||
1997 | Ray Perri | 31–18 | 11–5 | 3rd | |||||
1998 | Ray Perri | 19–28 | 5–11 | 8th | |||||
1999 | Carla Camino | 11–32 | 5–11 | 7th | |||||
2000 | Carla Camino | 9–46 | 1–15 | 9th | |||||
2001 | Carla Camino | 9–38 | 5–16 | T–7th | |||||
2002 | Carla Camino | 12–36 | 3–18 | T–7th | |||||
2003 | Joe DiPietro | 15–28 | 5–9 | 7th | |||||
2004 | Joe DiPietro | 10–31 | 2–10 | 8th | |||||
2005 | Joe DiPietro | 12–32–1 | 2–10 | 9th | |||||
2006 | Joe DiPietro | 12–33 | 2–18 | 11th | |||||
2007 | Joe DiPietro | 16–23 | 8–11 | 7th | |||||
2008 | Joe DiPietro | 22–24 | 8–12 | 8th | |||||
2009 | Brianne Brown | 9–29 | 6–13 | 9th | |||||
2010 | Brianne Brown | 13–30 | 2–18 | 11th | |||||
2011 | Brianne Brown | 5–38 | 2–16 | 10th | |||||
2012 | Brianne Brown | 9–40 | 3–17 | 11th | |||||
2013 | Ron Shoemaker | 16–31 | 3–19 | 12th | |||||
2014 | Ron Shoemaker | 18–24 | 9–9 | T–5th | |||||
2015 | Ron Shoemaker | 15–22 | 9–11 | 5th | |||||
2016 | Ron Shoemaker | 16–28 | 7–14 | 9th | |||||
2017 | Ron Shoemaker | 20–27 | 7–16 | 9th | |||||
2018 | Brooke Darreff | 12–34 | 3–19 | 10th | |||||
2019 | Brooke Darreff | 12–33 | 5–17 | T–9th | |||||
2020 | Brooke Darreff | 0–10 | 0–0 |
Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic | |||||
2021 | Sarah Prezioso | 0–31 | 0–20 | 10th | |||||
Total: | 729–1,055–3 (.409) | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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Notes
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ La Salle Brand Standards Manual (PDF). July 29, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ "Softball Standings 1986-2022". maacsports.com.
- ^ "Facilities". La Salle University Athletics.
- ^ a b "La Salle cutting 7 sports at end of school year". ESPN.com. September 29, 2020.
- ^ a b Jensen, Mike (29 September 2020). "La Salle is cutting seven sports to better align with comparable athletic programs". www.inquirer.com.
- ^ a b "2021 Softball Schedule". La Salle University Athletics.
- ^ "Softball Championship History". maacsports.com.
- ^ "The La Salle Explorer, Vol. 8 No. 6". digitalcommons.lasalle.edu.
- ^ "Softball Individual Awards". maacsports.com.
- ^ "MAAC Announces 40th Anniversary Softball Team". maacsports.com.
- ^ "LA SALLE, DUQUESNE JOIN MCC – Chicago Tribune". www.chicagotribune.com. 20 December 1991.
- ^ "MAAC loses a big name in La Salle Change leaves Loyola pondering switch, too – Baltimore Sun". www.baltimoresun.com. 20 December 1991.
- ^ Brady, Jim (1995-02-10). "VA. TECH, DAYTON, LA SALLE JOIN A-10". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ^ "The Explorer Update Vol. 1 No. 3". digitalcommons.lasalle.edu.
- ^ a b c "La Salle Softball Record Book (PDF)" (PDF). La Salle University Athletics.
- ^ "Curcio Named Second-Team All-A-10". La Salle University Athletics. 10 May 2006.
- ^ Jensen, Mike (2 October 2020). "A La Salle freshman was excited she could help rebuild the softball program. Not anymore. | Mike Jensen". www.inquirer.com.
- ^ "Student-athletes react with 'shock and anger' to La Salle's sudden call to cut sports". September 29, 2020.
- ^ Bellair, Hope (July 13, 2021). "La Salle University Agrees to Add Opportunities for Female Student Athletes to Avoid Title IX Lawsuit".
- ^ "La Salle makes coaching changes ahead of final season". January 15, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Softball Roster". La Salle University Athletics.
- ^ "2022-23 #HLSB Record Book (PDF) - Horizon League" (PDF). horizonleague.org.
- ^ "SOFTBALL RECORD BOOK THROUGH 2016-17 SEASON (PDF) - Atlantic 10" (PDF). static.atlantic10.com.