Saint Francis Red Flash softball
- For information on all Saint Francis University sports, see Saint Francis Red Flash
The Saint Francis Red Flash softball team represents Saint Francis University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Northeast Conference (NEC). The Red Flash are currently led by head coach Beth Krysiak. The team plays its home games at Red Flash Softball Field, which is located on the college's campus.[3]
History
After nearly four decades of minimal success, the Red Flash rose to prominence in the Northeast Conference after the hiring of former coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift and current head coach Jessica O'Donnell. Patrick-Swift left the team after the 2018 season.[4][5] The program won five NEC tournament championships from 2017 to 2022, as the 2020 NEC tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program also won the NEC regular season championship in 2017, 2018, and from 2021 until 2023. By winning the NEC tournament, the program qualified for the NCAA Division I softball tournament.[6][7]
In the 2017 NCAA tournament, the Red Flash won their first NCAA tournament game in program history, defeating New Mexico State by a score of 8-4 before being eliminated from the tournament by South Carolina.[8][9] As of 2023, it is their only win as they were eliminated in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 without winning a game and scoring only six runs in eight total games.
In 2021, former third baseman Mekenzie Saban was named to Softball America's All-American Third-team.[10] In 2022, Saban was named Northeast Conference Player of the Year, while pitcher Rachel Marsden was named Northeast Conference Pitcher of the Year.[11]
On June 21, 2023, head coach Jessica O'Donnell announced her departure from the program to become the head coach of Kent State.[12][13] Beth Krysiak was named as the new Red Flash head coach on August 9, 2023.[14]
Coaching history
Years | Coach | Record | % |
---|---|---|---|
1986–1990 | Tom Cicero | 67–85 | .441 |
1991–1993 | Terry Bennett | 27–51 | .346 |
1994–1998 | Rudy Galayda | 93–122–2 | .433 |
1999 | Christy Cameron | 16–28 | .364 |
2000 | Missy Radaker | 22–20 | .524 |
2001 | Brock Radaker | 19–24 | .442 |
2002 | Michelle Kozak | 28–24–1 | .538 |
2003–2004 | Laura Cymmerman | 22–62 | .262 |
2005–2006 | Erin Layton | 29–74 | .282 |
2007–2011 | Sabrina Lane | 87–172 | .336 |
2012–2018 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 226–152 | .598 |
2019–2023 | Jessica O’Donnell | 137–101 | .576 |
2024–present | Beth Krysiak | 0–0 | – |
[15]
Roster
2024 Saint Francis Red Flash roster | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitchers
Catchers
Outfielders
|
Utility
| |||||||
Reference:[16] |
Season by season results
Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saint Francis Red Flash (Northeast Conference) (1986–present) | |||||||||
1986 | Tom Cicero | 6–21 | |||||||
1987 | Tom Cicero | 9–20 | |||||||
1988 | Tom Cicero | 19–16 | |||||||
1989 | Tom Cicero | 17–10 | |||||||
1990 | Tom Cicero | 16–18 | |||||||
1991 | Terry Bennett | 7–22 | |||||||
1992 | Terry Bennett | 8–14 | |||||||
1993 | Terry Bennett | 12–15 | |||||||
1994 | Rudy Galayda | 11–26 | 4–3 | ||||||
1995 | Rudy Galayda | 15–24–1 | 7–9 | ||||||
1996 | Rudy Galayda | 13–31 | 6–10 | ||||||
1997 | Rudy Galayda | 21–24 | 9–7 | ||||||
1998 | Rudy Galayda | 33–17–1 | 7–2–1 | 3rd[17] | |||||
1999 | Christy Cameron | 16–28 | 6–12 | 8th | |||||
2000 | Missy Radaker | 22–20 | 11–9 | 5th | |||||
2001 | Brock Radaker | 19–24 | 12–8 | 5th | |||||
2002 | Michelle Kozak | 28–24–1 | 12–9–1 | 4th | |||||
2003 | Laura Cymmerman | 14–29 | 11–10 | 5th | |||||
2004 | Laura Cymmerman | 8–33 | 6–12 | T–9th | |||||
2005 | Erin Layton | 9–39 | 4–13 | 10th | |||||
2006 | Erin Layton | 20–35 | 8–10 | T–6th | |||||
2007 | Sabrina Lane | 17–35 | 3–15 | 9th | |||||
2008 | Sabrina Lane | 24–34 | 11–6 | 3rd | |||||
2009 | Sabrina Lane | 21–30 | 5–11 | 8th | |||||
2010 | Sabrina Lane | 15–35 | 3–12 | 10th | |||||
2011 | Sabrina Lane | 10–38 | 2–16 | 11th | |||||
2012 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 22–26 | 9–11 | 7th | |||||
2013 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 25–30 | 6–14 | 9th | |||||
2014 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 26–23 | 8–8 | 5th | |||||
2015 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 31–19 | 9–7 | 5th | |||||
2016 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 34–24 | 13–3 | 2nd | |||||
2017 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 49–11 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Regionals | ||||
2018 | Jennifer Patrick-Swift | 39–19 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Regionals | ||||
2019 | Jessica O’Donnell | 29–31 | 10–6 | 3rd | NCAA Regionals | ||||
2020 | Jessica O’Donnell | 5–18 | 0–0 | N/A | Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic | ||||
2021 | Jessica O’Donnell | 40–10 | 22–2 | 1st | NCAA Regionals | ||||
2022 | Jessica O’Donnell | 37–18 | 20–4 | 1st | NCAA Regionals | ||||
2023 | Jessica O’Donnell | 26–24 | 15–6 | 1st | |||||
2024 | Beth Krysiak | 0–0 | 0–0 | ||||||
Total: | 773–915–3 (.458) | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion |
[15][2]
See also
References
- ^ SFU Athletics Style Guide (PDF). May 11, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
- ^ a b "NEC Softball History". northeastconference.org.
- ^ "Facilities". Saint Francis University Athletics.
- ^ "NC State Hired Jennifer Patrick-Swift As Head Softball Coach - FloSoftball". www.flosoftball.com.
- ^ Shambaugh, Jaclyn. "Former Methodist star Patrick-Swift takes over N.C. State softball". The Fayetteville Observer.
- ^ "Saint Francis Wins Fourth-Consecutive NEC Tournament Championship | Saint Francis University". www.francis.edu.
- ^ "Softball Wins Fifth Straight Northeast Conference Championship". Saint Francis University Athletics.
- ^ Sun-News, Mark Rudi, Las Cruces. "NMSU softball's season comes to an end with loss to St. Francis in NCAA Regionals". Las Cruces Sun-News.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "New Mexico St. vs St. Francis (PA) DI Softball Game Summary - May 20th, 2017 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com.
- ^ Staff, S. A. "2021 NCAA Division I All-Americans". www.softballamerica.com.
- ^ "SFU's Mekenzie Saban & Rachel Marsden #NECElite Softball Major Award Winners". northeastconference.org.
- ^ Tribune-Democrat, The (June 22, 2023). "St. Francis' O'Donnell accepts softball coaching job at Kent State". The Tribune-Democrat.
- ^ "Jessica O'Donnell Named Head Softball Coach". Kent State Golden Flashes. June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Beth Krysiak Named Saint Francis Softball Head Coach". Saint Francis University Athletics. August 9, 2023.
- ^ a b "Softball Record Book (PDF)" (PDF). Saint Francis University Athletics.
- ^ "2024 Softball Roster". Saint Francis University Athletics.
- ^ "NEC Softball Standings (1998-2022)". northeastconference.org.
External links
- Official website
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