By Tim Bennett, Yale Sports Publicity
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Jen Goodwin, who spent the last two years as the Assistant Executive Director for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, has been named the head softball coach at Yale.
At the NFCA, Goodwin's primary duties included managing the curriculum for the Association's Coaches College, developing the NFCA's new recruiting tournaments, which launched in the summer of 2011, and serving as the director of the StrikeOut Cancer program which raised more the $250,000 in two years.
Goodwin also has extensive Ivy League coaching experience. She spent two years as an assistant at Harvard, recruiting two-time Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Rachel Brown and helping guide the Crimson to the 2007 Ivy League title, and was Dartmouth's interim head coach in 2004.
"I want to thank [Athletic Director] Tom Beckett, [Senior Associate AD] Amy Backus and the search committee for the opportunity to lead the Yale Softball program," Goodwin said. "I truly believe in the Ivy League philosophy and all that it stands for and couldn't be more excited with all that Yale has to offer."
In her two years as an assistant to Jenny Allard at Harvard, the Crimson won 56 games, including a 28-12 mark in Ivy League play, and captured the North Division title each year. In 2007, Harvard advanced to the NCAA Tournament, dropping a pair of one-run games at the Hofstra Regional. In addition to recruiting Brown, who holds virtually every Harvard pitching record, Goodwin worked closely with Harvard's hitters, who improved in every statistical category both years.
"I pride myself on being a teacher of the fundamentals," Goodwin said. "I look forward to getting into the cages with the hitters especially, working with them on becoming more independent in the batter's box, and handling their failures. Everyone knows that even the best hitters fail seven out of 10 at bats, so my approach with the hitters will be to help manage those failures."
At Dartmouth, the Big Green won 17 games and set a school record for home runs in a season under her tutelage. Following her stint at Harvard, Goodwin returned to Dartmouth as the Director of Basketball Operations.
Prior to Harvard, Goodwin spent two seasons as the associate head coach at San Jose State. In addition, she was the head coach at Simmons College (2001-02) and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1999-2000).
"Jen comes to Yale with exceptional credentials and a very keen understanding of the Ivy League," Beckett said. "Her career as a student athlete was outstanding and her impact as a coach has likewise been extraordinary. We are thrilled to appoint her as our head coach."
A four-year softball letterwinner at Bridgewater State, Goodwin was a three-time All-American at first base, third base and utility. Upon graduation, she ranked fifth in Division III career home runs with 38 and held four career school records – batting average (.464), doubles (46), home runs (38) and RBI (200). She was the 1995 and 1996 ECAC Player of the Year and was inducted into the Bridgewater State Hall of Fame in 2005.
Following graduation, she played for the Stratford Brakettes, where she was a third-team ASA All-American at third base. Goodwin also played two years on the USA Women's National Baseball team and worked as an instructor at various camps, including four years as a head coach at the Nomar Garciaparra Baseball Camp.
Barbara Reinalda, who has spent the last eight seasons as the Yale head coach, will remain on the staff, serving as the associate head coach.