Manhattan Jaspers softball

The Manhattan Jaspers softball team represents Manhattan University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The Jaspers are currently led by head coach Bridget Hurlman. The team plays its home games at Gaelic Park which is located on the college's campus.[2]

Manhattan Jaspers
UniversityManhattan University
Head coachBridget Hurlman (1st season)
ConferenceMAAC
LocationBronx, NY
Home stadiumGaelic Park
NicknameJaspers
ColorsGreen and white[1]
   
NCAA Tournament appearances
1999, 2021
Conference Tournament championships
1999, 2021
Regular Season Conference championships
1994, 2009
For information on all Manhattan University sports, see Manhattan Jaspers

History

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Manhattan has been a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference since its inception in 1980 and has fielded a softball team each year since 1987.[3] Despite this, the Jaspers have managed to win the conference regular season championship only twice in that timespan, sharing titles in both 1994 and 2009 with Canisius and Fairfield respectively. Manhattan has won the conference tournament twice, doing so in 1999 and 2021.[4][5] In doing so, they advanced to the NCAA Division I softball tournament both years.

In the 1999 NCAA Division I softball tournament, the Jaspers were defeated in their first game by Louisiana by a score of 15–0 in a game that ended via mercy rule after five innings.[6] Manhattan was eliminated from the tournament after losing their second and final game of the tournament, this time in a 4–3 loss to LIU Brooklyn that went to extra innings.[6][7]

The Jaspers returned to the tournament for the first time in 22 years in 2021 where they faced off against sixth ranked Arkansas and were defeated 8–0 innings via the mercy rule.[8][9] The team was sent to the losers bracket where they were officially eliminated from the tournament by Stanford, losing an 11–2 contest.[10][11]

Former head coach Cat Clifford departed from the program after the 2023 season.[12] On June 6, 2023, it was announced by the NCAA that the Manhattan athletic program improperly certified 26 student athletes across six sports, including softball. The Jaspers' softball program was handed additional penalties after it was found that a former assistant coach improperly recruited players without completing a mandatory recruiting exam. The assistant also failed to cooperate with the investigation.[13] The college was hit with several penalties, which included being placed on two years of probation, a $5,000 fine, a suspension for the softball head coach for the first two non-conference games of the 2024 season, a 16-day prohibition against all softball recruiting activities during the June/July 2023 contact period, a five year show cause penalty for the former assistant coach, and a vacation of all records in which the student athletes competed while ineligible.[14] The MAAC released a statement in support of the NCAA's findings, while also maintaining they will continue to work with Manhattan to ensure the penalties are enforced.[15]

Former Rhode Island head coach Bridget Hurlman was named as Manhattan's next head coach following the departure of Clifford.[16]

Coaching history

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Years Coach Record %
1989–1995[17] Paul Mazzei N/A N/A
1996–2001 Susan Hannon 107–160–1 .401[18][19]
2002 Lois J. Kahl 15–27 .357[20]
2003–2004 Jennifer Fisher 24–66 .267[21]
2005–2009 Meaghan Asselta 83–153 .352[22]
2010–2021 Tom Pardalis 275–274–1 .501
2022–2023 Cat Clifford 26–67 .280
2024–present Bridget Hurlman 0–0

Roster

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2024 Manhattan Jaspers roster
 

Pitchers

  • 13 – Mollie Charest – Senior
  • 31 – Alexandra Hess – Freshman
  • 9 – Ava Metzger – Junior
  • 14 – Gabi Mills – Junior
  • 29 – Karissa Spring – Freshman
  • 16 – Makayla Veneziale – Junior

Catchers

  • 2 – Kaitlyn Flood – Graduate Student
  • 18 – Megan Hedlund – Senior
  • 3 – Gabriella Mazzotta – Graduate Student
  • 12 – Paige McLaughlin – Freshman
  • 21 – Anissa Villalobos – Junior
  • 22 – Maddy Weir – Sophomore
 

Infielders

  • 4 – Bella Cahueque – Sophomore
  • 11 – Jamie Falotico – Sophomore
  • 25 – Lily Fish – Senior
  • 30 – Kylie Flaherty – Freshman
  • 17 – Camryn O'Connor – Freshman
  • 99 – Lauren Rende – Graduate Student
  • 43 – Kristyn Smith – Senior
  • 24 – Grace Ware – Senior

Outfielders

  • 5 – Lindsey Hoag – Junior
  • 00 – Kaitlyn Holly – Senior
  • 15 – Kalyn Markel – Freshman

Utility

  • 8 – Sophia Kiseloski– Sophomore
 
Reference:[23]

Season by season results

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Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Manhattan Jaspers (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (1987–present)
1987 N/A[N 1] N/A N/A 7th[3]
1988 N/A N/A N/A 8th[3]
1989 Paul Mazzei N/A N/A 6th
1990 Paul Mazzei N/A N/A 9th
1991 Paul Mazzei N/A N/A 4th
1992 Paul Mazzei N/A N/A N/A
1993 Paul Mazzei 34–17 N/A 3rd
1994 Paul Mazzei N/A N/A T–1st
1995 Paul Mazzei N/A N/A 2nd
1996 Susan Hannon N/A N/A 4th
1997 Susan Hannon N/A N/A N/A
1998 Susan Hannon N/A N/A N/A
1999 Susan Hannon 23–25 8–8 4th NCAA Regionals
2000 Susan Hannon 21–31 7–9 T–6th
2001 Susan Hannon 17–26 7–9 T–5th
2002 Lois J. Kahl 15–27 6–19 6th
2003 Jennifer Fisher 8–33 3–13 9th
2004 Jennifer Fisher 16–33 9–7 T–3rd
2005 Meaghan Asselta 22–25 9–7 T–4th
2006 Meaghan Asselta 26–24 6–10 T–6th
2007 Meaghan Asselta 4–42 3–13 9th
2008 Meaghan Asselta 11–35 6–10 6th
2009 Meaghan Asselta 20–27 11–5 T–1st
2010 Tom Pardalis 25–23–1 9–7 4th
2011 Tom Pardalis 25–23 12–4 T–2nd
2012 Tom Pardalis 11–36 6–10 8th
2013 Tom Pardalis 21–25 9–7 T–4th
2014 Tom Pardalis 26–29 10–10 6th
2015 Tom Pardalis 26–20 13–7 T–3rd
2016 Tom Pardalis 30–21 14–6 2nd
2017 Tom Pardalis 34–21 13–7 T–3rd
2018 Tom Pardalis 28–25 10–10 5th
2019 Tom Pardalis 20–30[N 2] 7–13[N 2] 7th
2020 Tom Pardalis 6–6[N 2] 0–0 N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 Tom Pardalis 22–16[N 2] 17–13[N 2] 6th NCAA Regionals
2022 Cat Clifford 13–30[N 2] 7–11[N 2] 8th
2023 Cat Clifford 13–35 8–12 9th
2024 Bridget Hurlman 0–0 0–0
Total: 517–685–2 (.437)[N 3]

      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

Notes

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  1. ^ Coach names are unavailable for 1987 and 1988, although MAAC records indicate a team was fielded in those years.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Records vacated due to ineligible player.
  3. ^ Overall records are unavailable from 1987 to 1992, and from 1994 to 1998. Conference records are unavailable from 1987 to 1998. Conference finishing position in 1992, 1997, and 1998 is unavailable. All other finishing positions are available via MAAC record book.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Manhattan College Athletic Colors (PDF). Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  2. ^ "Facilities". Manhattan College Athletics.
  3. ^ a b c d "Softball Standings 1986-2022". maacsports.com.
  4. ^ "Manhattan Wins 2021 MAAC Softball Championship". Manhattan College Athletics. 15 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Jaspers Recognized for 2021 MAAC Softball Championship". The Quadrangle. February 1, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "1999". Softball History USA.
  7. ^ "MAAC Chronology". maacsports.com.
  8. ^ "Arkansas softball takes down Manhattan in first round of NCAA Tournament". 5newsonline.com. May 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Razorbacks shut down Manhattan in opening game of NCAA regional". wholehogsports.com. 21 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Softball eliminated from NCAA Tournament". May 23, 2021.
  11. ^ "Stanford vs Manhattan DI Softball Game Summary - May 22nd, 2021 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com.
  12. ^ Larkin, Gary (June 18, 2023). "Jaspers turn over key personnel after NCAA penalties". The Riverdale Press.
  13. ^ "Manhattan College failed to monitor eligibility certification". NCAA.org. June 6, 2023.
  14. ^ "NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION1 Manhattan College – Case No. 020167" (PDF). ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com.
  15. ^ "MAAC Statement on Manhattan College". maacsports.com. June 7, 2023.
  16. ^ "Hurlman Returns to Manhattan, Named Head Softball Coach". Manhattan College Athletics. July 31, 2023.
  17. ^ "Paul Mazzei (2007) - Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame". Manhattan College Athletics.
  18. ^ "The NCAA News: NCAA Record". ncaanewsarchive.s3.amazonaws.com.
  19. ^ "HEAD SOFTBALL COACH SUSAN HANNON RESIGNS". Manhattan College Athletics. 14 May 2002.
  20. ^ "Lois Kahl Named Manhattan Softball Coach - MAACSports.com - The Official Website of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference". maacsports.com.
  21. ^ "SOFTBALL ANNOUNCES 2005 SCHEDULE". Manhattan College Athletics. 11 January 2005.
  22. ^ "Meaghan Asselta Named Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year". Manhattan College Athletics. 7 May 2009.
  23. ^ "2024 Softball Roster". Manhattan College Athletics.
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