destasio named head softball coach

Muhlenberg hired Marisa DeStasio, an assistant on the 2010 team, as its new head softball coach. DeStasio replaces Roni Rivera, who left earlier this month to become head coach at Iona College.

Before coming to Muhlenberg, DeStasio spent the past three years as an assistant at Lafayette College, helping the Leopards to a school-record 27 wins in 2008 and their first two appearances in the Patriot League championship game in 2008 and 2009. In 2006 DeStasio was an assistant at MacMurray College in Illinois, where she also served on the event management staff.

A four-year starter at multiple positions at Binghamton University, she was named All-America East Conference second team in 2003 as a utility player. She is the Bearcats’ all-time leader with 34 sacrifice hits and also ranks in the top five in career stolen bases (tied for third, 19); runs (fourth, 60); hits (fifth, 114); games played (fifth, 160) and at-bats (second, 493).

DeStasio graduated from Binghamton in 2005 with a degree in human development and received her master’s in athletic coaching education from West Virginia in 2008.

The eighth coach in Muhlenberg softball history, DeStasio inherits a team that is two years removed from its 2009 Centennial Conference championship. The Mules were plagued by injuries last season and finished 14-19 but return almost the entire squad, including CC player of the year Ashley Brewer.

"We're all really excited to have Coach DeStasio as our new head coach," said Brewer. "Since the news of Coach Rivera's resignation was such a shock to all of us, it's really nice to have someone we've already gotten to know as her replacement. I think she has a ton of great ideas for offensive and defensive drills that will make our practices challenging and effective.

"Also, in talking with her, she's very committed to doing whatever it takes to win and get our team back to the NCAAs, which I believe is a common goal among everyone on our team. We have a lot of depth on our team this year and I think that we're going to have a great season!"