Kristi Stefanoni has been hired as UMass' head coach

Kristi Stefanoni

After a long drawn out search, UMass hired Interim Head Coach Kristi Stefanoni. This is an excellent hire, as no one has put more blood, sweat, and tears into this program. To put it simply, Kristi is UMass softball.

Stefanoni played four years for Elaine Sortino and advanced to NCAA Regionals in each season and won the Amherst Regional in her senior season, advancing to Super Regionals. Stefanoni was not the star of those teams, but her leadership and poise was evident then. When Lehigh was a run away from advancing to the Regional Final and was threatening with a runner on third, Stefanoni showed calm under pressure and fielded a ground ball and fired home to cut down the runner. Those cool nerves under pressure have helped her become an incredible assistant and now head coach.

After graduating in 2006, Stefanoni stayed on staff and has been an integral part of UMass softball. She has been in charge of the UMass outfield and slappers, which have consistently been among the best in the conference. It will be interesting to see how her recruiting takes shape, but it would not be surprise to see this team built on speed and defense.

UMass brings back a talented group into the 2015 season, as just two starters from last year graduated. Caroline Raymond is back in the circle and she will have some depth around her in freshman Megan Colleran, the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, sophomores Tara Klee and Dakota Smith-Porter, and redshirt junior Emma Mendoker who sat out last season with an injury.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson and Jena Cozza are back to lead the offense and they will be joined by a pair of incoming freshmen who should crack the lineup in Gianna Hathaway and Emily Neal. All in all, the future of UMass softball is looking bright.