June 26, 2009

Julie Perrelli Named Head Softball Coach at Springfield College

Julie Perrelli Named Head Softball Coach at Springfield College
Springfield, Mass. -- June 25, 2009 -- Julie Perrelli has been named an Assistant Professor of Physical Education and Head Softball Coach at Springfield College, according to Springfield Director of Athletics Cathie Schweitzer. The head softball coach at Smith for the past three years, Perrelli received both her doctorate in Physical Education, Teaching Administration this past May, and her masters in Physical Education/Athletic Administration in 2004 from Springfield College, where she served as a graduate assistant under Kathy Mangano from the 2003 through 2006 seasons.

"We are very pleased that Julie Perrelli has agreed to become our next head softball coach," said Schweitzer. "Julie is very familiar with Springfield College, from where she has received a pair of degrees. We feel she will maintain the strong set of core values as well as the winning tradition created by Diane Potter and continued by Kathy Mangano. We are proud to have Coach Perrelli on board and look forward to her return."

"It is an honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to teach and coach at Springfield College," said Perrelli. "I am really excited to have the chance to work with such extraordinary people. I am looking forward to continuing the remarkable tradition of Springfield College Softball and working with such wonderful student-athletes."

Julie Perrelli has been the head softball coach at Smith College in Northampton, Mass. since July, 2006. While at Smith, she also served as a Course Support Instructor. Prior to that, she was a teaching fellow and an assistant softball coach at Springfield from September, 2002 through July, 2006. During those years, Julie assisted the Assistant Director of Athletics at Springfield College and also assisted the compliance coordinator during a semester's internship at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Her coaching experience also included serving as head field hockey coach at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven in the falls of 1999 and 2000.

Additional coaching experience included her serving as an assistant softball coach (fall, 1999) and the head JV and assistant varsity field hockey coach (1996-98) at Ridgefield High School in Ridgefield, Conn.

Under the honors category, Perrelli's Smith softball team earned the Sportsmanship Award from the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference in 2008. Individually, in the Spring of 2006, Julie was inducted into the Phi Epsilon Kappa Honor Society. She was also a NEISCA Professional Development Scholarship Award winner in 2003 and 2004. In addition, she was named the Co-Graduate Associate of the Year at Springfield College in 2004.

Julie received a bachelor of arts degree in Communications from Western Connecticut State University in Danbury in May, 2001. While at WCSU, Julie was a three-year letter winner and captain of the softball team. She is currently affiliated with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA), and the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) among others.

Julie will replace Kathy Mangano, who had been the head softball coach at Springfield College for the past 20 years. Mangano's overall record finished at 481-394-1, good for a winning percentage of .550. Mangano will remain at Springfield College as a professor.