Lafayette Leopards softball

Lafayette Leopards
UniversityLafayette College
Head coachKaravin Dew (2nd season)
ConferencePatriot League
LocationEaston, PA
Home stadiumLafayette Softball Field[1]
NicknameLeopards
ColorsMaroon and white[2]
   
For all Lafayette College sports, see Lafayette Leopards.

The Lafayette Leopards softball team represents Lafayette College in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Patriot League (PL). The team was formerly a member of the East Coast Conference (ECC). The Leopards are currently led by head coach Karavin Dew. The team plays its home games at Lafayette Softball Field located on the university's campus.[1]

History

The Leopards have struggled as a program since joining the Patriot League. The team has only one season with a winning record in 34 years, doing so in 2008 after achieving a 27–24 record.[3] Since the team has failed to win games, they have in turn failed a regular season championship as well as failing to win the Patriot League Tournament. Failing to win the latter also means the team has failed to qualify for the NCAA Division I softball tournament.

Lafayette has won several awards during their time in the Patriot League. The team has won three PL Player of the Year awards, winning in 1996 and 1997 with Jen Rothrock,[4][5] and in 2009 with Christina Giambrone.[6][7] The team has also won two PL Coach of the Year awards, doing so in 2000 with John Wong and in 2006 with Jeanine Gunther.[8][9]

Karavin Dew was hired as the Leopards' head coach in August 2022.[10][11]

Coaching history

Years Coach Record %
1990[12] Holly Hughes N/A N/A
1991–1992 Janet Malouf 9–57–2 .147
1993–1994 Dale Franquet 9–61–1 .134
1995–1999 Stacey Cagenello 48–149 .244
2000–2005 John Wong 46–181 .203
2006–2009 Jeanine Gunther 85–106 .445
2010 Jaime Wallin 15–33 .313
2011–2012 Meaghan Asselta 22–79 .218
2013–2017 Jexx Varner 51–172 .229
2018–2022 Caitlyn de la Haba 27–151–1 .154
2023–present Karavin Dew 8–36–1 .189

Roster

2024 Lafayette Leopards roster
 

Pitchers

  • 24 – Jacqueline Cal – Senior
  • 11 – Morrigan Gardiner – Junior
  • 18 – Parker Rowden – Freshman
  • 34 – Kailee Sawai – Senior

Catchers

  • 17 – Kaya Ciccone-Cozart – Junior
  • 26 – Maggie Klug – Junior
  • 15 – Regan Dillon – Freshman
  • 12 – Bella Lowdermilk – Senior

Outfielders

  • 4 – Olivia Catalina – Sophomore
  • 2 – Grace Hausamann – Sophomore
  • 23 – Bailey Langford – Senior
  • 10 – Mary Grace O'Neill – Junior
  • 14 – Marisa Powell – Sophomore
  • 8 – Paige Sandidge – Senior
  

Infielders

  • 13 – Kristen Brown – Senior
  • 6 – Megan Coyle – Sophomore
  • 3 – Kylene Gooch – Sophomore
  • 1 – Katie Harrington – Freshman
  • 5 – Sabina Lehnert – Freshman
  • 16 – Natalia LoCurto – Freshman
  • 22 – Kylee Sweet – Sophomore
  
Reference:[13]

Season by season results

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Lafayette Leopards (East Coast Conference) (1990–1990)
1990 Holly Hughes N/A[N 1] N/A N/A
Lafayette Leopards (Patriot League) (1991–present)
1991 Janet Malouf 5–26–2 4–6 4th
1992 Janet Malouf 4–31 3–9 6th
1993 Dale Franquet 4–32 3–9 T–6th
1994 Dale Franquet 5–29–1 3–9 T–5th
1995 Stacey Cagenello 10–33 3–8 T–6th
1996 Stacey Cagenello 14–23 3–7 T–5th
1997 Stacey Cagenello 11–24 3–7 6th
1998 Stacey Cagenello 7–35 2–18 6th
1999 Stacey Cagenello 6–34 4–16 6th
2000 John Wong 6–20 4–6 T–3rd
2001 John Wong 8–33 4–16 6th
2002 John Wong 6–31 2–18 6th
2003 John Wong 5–31 1–19 6th
2004 John Wong 10–32 3–17 6th
2005 John Wong 11–34 3–15 5th
2006 Jeanine Gunther 20–28 10–10 T–2nd
2007 Jeanine Gunther 21–25 10–10 3rd
2008 Jeanine Gunther 27–24 13–7 T–2nd
2009 Jeanine Gunther 17–29 8–12 T–4th
2010 Jaime Wallin 15–33 4–16 6th
2011 Meaghan Asselta 8–39 5–15 T–5th
2012 Meaghan Asselta 14–40 7–13 4th
2013 Jexx Varner 11–43 4–16 6th
2014 Jexx Varner 10–32 4–14 7th
2015 Jexx Varner 4–37 1–17 7th
2016 Jexx Varner 13–32 3–15 7th
2017 Jexx Varner 13–28 5–13 6th
2018 Caitlyn de la Haba 7–42 3–15 7th
2019 Caitlyn de la Haba 8–40–1 1–17 7th
2020 Caitlyn de la Haba 1–11 0–0 N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 Caitlyn de la Haba 1–21 1–17 7th
2022 Caitlyn de la Haba 10–37 2–16 7th
2023 Karavin Dew 8–36–1 4–14 6th
2024 Karavin Dew 0–0 0–0
Total: 320–1,025–5 (.239)

      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

[3]

Notes

  1. ^ Results are unavailable for 1990, although newspaper articles indicate a team was fielded in that year with Holly Hughes as head coach.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Facilities: Softball Field". Lafayette College Athletics. July 26, 2018.
  2. ^ Lafayette College Full-Color Representations (PDF). Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "2023 Softball Record Book (PDF) - Patriot League" (PDF). patriotleague.org.
  4. ^ "Lafayette College to induct five into Maroon Club Hall of Fame". lehighvalleylive. September 9, 2011.
  5. ^ "Patriot award for Miller". The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. April 29, 1996. p. 35. Retrieved September 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Softball Boarding School in New Jersey | Blair Academy". www.blair.edu. March 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "Other news". The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. May 7, 2009. p. 29. Retrieved September 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "SPUNKY LAFAYETTE FALLS TO BUCKNELL DIERUFF GRAD STEPH MORGAN THUNDERS FOR BISON IN PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT AT PATES". April 29, 2000.
  9. ^ "Five Questions With Lafayette Softball Head Coach Jeanine Gunther". patriotleague.org. June 26, 2007.
  10. ^ "Lafayette Hires Karavin Dew as Head Coach - Extra Inning Softball". Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  11. ^ "Karavin Dew new sotball coach at Lafayette College". Northwest Georgia News. August 17, 2022.
  12. ^ "Northwestern stays unbeaten". The Morning Call. April 19, 1990. Retrieved September 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "2024 Softball Roster". Lafayette College Athletics.