Saint Francis Red Flash softball

Saint Francis Red Flash
Saint Francis Red Flash
University	Saint Francis University
Head coach	Beth Krysiak (1st season)
Conference	NEC
Location	Loretto, PA
Home stadium	Red Flash Softball Field
Nickname	Red Flash
Colors	Red and white;
NCAA Tournament appearances
	2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024
Conference Tournament championships
	2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024
Regular Season Conference championships
	2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

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

5 – Allie Braly – Freshman
7 – Olivia Kolowitz – Freshman
24 – Rachel Marsden – Graduate Student
9 – Grace Vesco – Graduate Student

Catchers

27 – Annabelle Farmer – Freshman

Outfielders

11 – Lauren Aubry – Graduate Student
22 – Sydney Baker – Senior
15 – Savannah Nash – Sophomore
12 – Ashley Wruble – Graduate Student

Infielders

20 – Brianna Sawyers – Sophomore
17 – Olivia Ulam – Junior

Utility

2 – Hannah Bendle – Freshman
25 – Aliya Garroway – Freshman
19 – Lexi Hernandez – Senior
28 – Madelynn Kessler – Freshman
10 – Ashley Orischak – Senior
26 – Kaylie Walters – Freshman
3 – Madelyn Wilson – Freshman

Reference:^[16]

Season by season results

Statistics overview
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	41–14	24–0	1st	NCAA Regionals
Total:		773–915–3 (.458)
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

^[15]^[2]

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

[1] SFU Athletics Style Guide (PDF). May 11, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[auto-2] "NEC Softball History". northeastconference.org.

[3] "Facilities". Saint Francis University Athletics.

[4] "NC State Hired Jennifer Patrick-Swift As Head Softball Coach - FloSoftball". www.flosoftball.com.

[5] Shambaugh, Jaclyn. "Former Methodist star Patrick-Swift takes over N.C. State softball". The Fayetteville Observer.

[6] "Saint Francis Wins Fourth-Consecutive NEC Tournament Championship | Saint Francis University". www.francis.edu.

[7] "Softball Wins Fifth Straight Northeast Conference Championship". Saint Francis University Athletics.

[8] 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)

[9] "New Mexico St. vs St. Francis (PA) DI Softball Game Summary - May 20th, 2017 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com.

[10] Staff, S. A. "2021 NCAA Division I All-Americans". www.softballamerica.com.

[11] "SFU's Mekenzie Saban & Rachel Marsden #NECElite Softball Major Award Winners". northeastconference.org.

[12] Tribune-Democrat, The (June 22, 2023). "St. Francis' O'Donnell accepts softball coaching job at Kent State". The Tribune-Democrat.

[13] "Jessica O'Donnell Named Head Softball Coach". Kent State Golden Flashes. June 21, 2023.

[14] "Beth Krysiak Named Saint Francis Softball Head Coach". Saint Francis University Athletics. August 9, 2023.

[auto1-15] "Softball Record Book (PDF)" (PDF). Saint Francis University Athletics.

[16] "2024 Softball Roster". Saint Francis University Athletics.

[17] "NEC Softball Standings (1998-2022)". northeastconference.org.

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