Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Women's Softball

Susan Kocher finished her 14th season as head coach of the Huskies in 2024 after being named the head coach in July of 2010. In Kocher's 13 seasons as head coach, she has guided the Huskies to an overall record of 391-247, 12 PSAC Tournament appearances, and eight NCAA postseason berths. She has also earned a pair of PSAC Central Division Coach of the Year honors, winning the award in both 2016 and 2019. Before taking over as head coach, Kocher played four seasons for the Huskies from 1984-87 and then stayed with the program, serving as an assistant coach under the legendary Jan Hutchinson for 23 seasons until taking over the reins following Hutchinson's retirement after the 2010 campaign. In her 41 seasons with the program, Kocher has been a part of 1,495 victories (142 as a player, 962 as an assistant coach, and 391 as head coach) and 35 NCAA postseason berths. Last season, Kocher took Bloomsburg softball back to the NCAA Tournament with a final record of 33-24, including a 18-14 mark in the PSAC Eastern Division. The 33 cumulative wins were the most by the Huskies since the 2016 season. Junior pitcher Callie Sowers led a group of four All-PSAC East honorees, serving as the lone representative on the First Team, her second career appearance. Sowers additionally secured two first-team all-region distinctions, receiving recognition from the NFCA and the D2CCA. A trio of teammates followed Sowers with second-team all-conference honors. Taylor Kranzley saw a sophomore surge leading to her first all-conference accolade at second base. The freshman tandem of Josie Straigis and Sarah Yamrick rounded out the list, as both players served in utility roles to help the Huskies’ efforts throughout the season. As a team, Bloomsburg finished the season tied for second in fielding percentage (.967) and third in earned run average (3.15). During the 2023 season, Kocher led the Huskies to a magical run in the conference tournament as the squad made the PSAC Championship after winning four of its first five games in the tournament. Bloomsburg finished the year as runner-ups and earned a spot in the postseason as the No. 5 seed from the PSAC East after winning four of its final six regular season games to finish the year 25-33 (15-17 PSAC East). Two Huskies were named to the all-conference teams as Emma Little landed on the First Team and Callie Sowers earned a spot on the Second Team. As a team, the Huskies finished the year with a program-best .975 fielding percentage.  In 2022, the Huskies made an apperance in the NCAA Tournament and finished the year with a 28-20 overall record, which included a 10-6 conference record. Statistically, team's strength was at the plate as the team finished second in the conference with a .323 batting average while also ranking in the top five in runs scored (fifth), hits (fourth), doubles (T-first), home runs (third) and runs batted in (fourth). In addition, the team led the league in the least amount of strikeouts at the plate as a team and was third in on base percentage. Following the winning season, five players were named to the All-PSAC team as Sammi Starr, Erin DelPierre, Callie Sowers, Nicolette Ray and Kayleigh Lenner all landed spots on the postseason list. Sowers, Ray and DelPierre were also named to the All-Region Team.  Kocher's 11th season saw the Huskies finish the 2021 campaign with an even 17-17 overall record that was knotted up with some solid play down the stretch of the end season as the team finished the year winning six of its last seven games. Offensively, the Huskies ranked third in the conference in batting average (.320) and first in the least amount of strikeouts (74). Despite missing out on a conference tournament berth, several players earned postseason honors under the guidance of Kocher. Abby Wild, Tara Baney, and Starr all earned All-PSAC East honors following their play during the 2021 season. In addition, Starr was selected to the NFCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team and All-D2CCA Atlantic Region Second Team.   Despite a prematurely shortened 2020 season due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Huskies posted an 8-6 record in the first three weeks of the season. As a team, the Huskies hit .307 through the first 14 games and scored 84 runs, had 81 RBI, and collected 120 hits. The pitching staff registered a 3.57 ERA with 11 complete games and one shut out. The Huskies posted another 30-win campaign in 2019 as they finished 30-17 overall and claimed the PSAC Central Division regular-season title. After guiding Bloomsburg to a 15-5 mark in the division, Kocher was named the PSAC Central Coach of the Year - the second such honor of her head coaching career. Under her tutelage, DelPierre was named the PSAC Central Freshman of the Year while five others - Wild, Taylor Winkelman, Baney, Kelsey Impink, and Marissa Shelhamer - earned All-PSAC Central honors. Wild went on to earn All-Region accolades from D2CCA and the NFCA while DelPierre was an NFCA All-Region honoree and a finalist for the Schutt Sports / NFCA Division II National Freshman of the Year. Kocher's Huskies went 20-22 (11-9) in 2018, reaching the PSAC tournament for the eighth straight season under Kocher. Four Huskies earned All-PSAC Central Division honors in Emily Mayhew, Kalynn Wheeland, Winkelman, and Baney, while Wheeland and Winkelman were both also selected All-Region. Winkelman was named to the NFCA All-Atlantic Region First Team while Wheeland landed on the Second Team. The D2CCA named Wheeland to the All-Region First Team and Winkelman to the Second Team, before Wheeland was also named a Second Team All-American by the D2CCA. Kocher also recorded her 250th career win at the PSAC tournament with a 4-1 Huskies win over California (Pa.) on May 3. 2017 saw the Huskies go 31-20 overall with a trip to the PSAC Championship game for the second consecutive season before bowing to West Chester for the conference title. Bloomsburg went on to the NCAA Atlantic Regional for the second straight year and sixth time under Kocher. Taylor Parker, Mallory Tomaschik, Emily Mayhew, and Winkelman nabbed spots on the All-PSAC Central Division team with Parker claiming Player of the Year honors and Tomaschik earning Pitcher of the Year accolades. Both would later earn All-Region honors. In 2016, Kocher guided Bloomsburg to a 45-9 (19-1 PSAC) record and the program's first PSAC Championship since 2010. Needed to defeat California (Pa.) twice on the final day of the tournament, the Huskies did just that, defeating the Vulcans 5-4 in eight innings in game one and then 5-1 in game two to clinch the championship and earn the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Bloomsburg advanced to the final day of the Atlantic Region 1 tournament before suffering a 5-1 loss to California (Pa.) in the semifinals. The team's 45 wins were the most since 2010, and Kocher helped mentor Parker to a Third Team All-American selection as a Utility/Pitcher by the Conference Commissioners Association (CCA). Parker (First Team), along with Winkelman (First Team) and Mayhew (Second Team), was also named to the NFCA All-Atlantic Region team. Winkelman was named the PSAC Central Division Freshman of the Year while Parker claimed PSAC Central Division Athlete of the Year honors. The 2014 and 2015 seasons produced an overall record of 54-35 with two appearances in the PSAC tournament. The Huskies also advanced to the NCAA regional tournament in 2014 - the fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA postseason under Kocher's guidance. Parker earned PSAC Eastern Division Freshman of the Year honors following the 2014 campaign. In 2013, the Huskies won 32 games and qualified for both the PSAC and NCAA playoffs. Pitcher Cait Paine was named the PSAC Central Division Pitcher of the Year for the second straight year, while three others were named All-Conference. In addition, three players were named to the NFCA All-Region team. The 2012 season produced a runner-up finish in the PSAC Championships and a sixth seed in the Atlantic Two regional bracket of the NCAA Championships.  Kocher coached five players to All-PSAC Central honors, including the Central Division's player, pitcher, and freshman of the year; it was the first time since 2007 that a team in any of the PSAC divisions claimed all three major awards.  She also coached three All-Region selections and a first-team NFCA All-American in Sam Pientack. Three of Kocher's athletes set school records during the 2012 season.  Pientack broke the school's 12-year-old home run record as she hit 20 long balls. Cait Paine fanned 18 batters in a single game two times, tying a 17-year-old school record; her 18 strikeouts also tied the PSAC record. Chrissy Belko tied a 10-year-old school record for single-game homers with three.  Kocher guided the Huskies to a 33-9 overall record in 2011 - her first season as head coach after taking over the reins following the retirement of legendary coach Jan Hutchinson in 2010. While serving as the pitching coach from 1988-2010 under Hutchinson, Kocher guided 11 pitchers to All-American accolades, including a pair of two-time recipients, Gina Lindenmuth (1989-90) and Kim Maguire (1993-94). Since taking over as head coach, four more have earned All-American honors. In addition, since being on the coaching staff, Kocher has seen 38 no-hitters with eight of those being perfect games. Kocher was a two-time All-American and a three-time All-PSAC selection in softball and is the only pitcher in school history to throw a no-hitter and a perfect game on the same day. She had a career record of 71-13 with a 0.47 ERA, 485 strikeouts, 30 shutouts, eight no-hitters, and two perfect games. At the plate, Kocher had 71 RBI and 65 runs scored. She helped the Huskies to a four-year record of 142-26, four PSAC titles, and a third-place finish at the 1986 NCAA Division II championships. She was also a four-year member of the women's basketball team. In the program's record books, Kocher is tied for fifth in career shutouts (30), seventh in innings pitched (554.2), eighth in strikeouts (485), and tied for seventh in victories (71). A 1987 graduate of Bloomsburg University, Kocher was inducted into the Bloomsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. She is a native of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Cedar Cliff High School, where she was an ASA All-American. CAREER RECORD Year Won Lost POST-SEASON 2011 33 9 PSAC, NCAA 2012 35 16 PSAC, NCAA 2013 32 19 PSAC, NCAA 2014 28 19 PSAC, NCAA 2015 26 16 PSAC 2016 45 9 PSAC, NCAA 2017 31 20 PSAC, NCAA 2018 20 22 PSAC 2019 30 17 PSAC 2020 8 6 2021 17 17 2022 28 20 PSAC, NCAA 2023 25 33 PSAC Runner-Ups 2024 33 24 PSAC, NCAA Career (14 seasons) 391 247 12 PSAC, 8 NCAA   Updated 6/28/2024

Bridget Hilferty enters her first season as the head coach of the Bloomsburg Men’s & Women's Swimming Teams in 2023 after spending the previous 10 seasons on staff as the assistant coach. In those 10 years, Hilferty oversaw the distance program, while handling academic strategies, providing counseling to student-athletes, coordinating community service initiatives and fundraising. She also assists the Athletic Department with Title IX Compliance initiatives. Hilferty has been instrumental in guiding the distance program to prominence over her 10 seasons. Her women and men now hold five of the six team records between the 500, 100 and 1650 freestyle.  She has had six women qualify for multiple NCAA Championships: Becca Cubbler (2017, 2019, 2020), Brooke Gilson (2014, 2017), Caroline Hodgins (2015), Karly Hursey (2017), Kaci McIlmoyle (2017) and  Kaitlyn Floyd (2017). Cubbler, Hodgins and Gilson all gained All-American honors.  Her men have consistently placed in the Top 8 at the PSAC Championships with several gaining NCAA provisional qualifying times.  All of her swimmers have multiple times on the BU All-Time Top Ten list. As a four-year performer for the Huskies, Hilferty was a dominate force in the distance freestyle events, earning NCAA All-American honors in the 1000 free and 1650 free in 2012.  She was a perennial top eight finalist at the conference championships and was a key performer during dual meet competitions. Hilferty is ranked in BU’s all-time top ten in the 1650 free (fifth), 500 free (fifth), 200 free (sixth) and 1000 free (sixth).  She was twice named the BU Swimmer of the Year (2011, 2012) and was a two-time team captain (2012, 2013). As a high school swimmer at Perkiomen Valley, Hilferty qualified for the PIAA State Championships in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She was also a three-year YMCA National Championship qualifier for the Boyertown YMCA and she is a certified member of the American Swimming Coaches Association.   Hilferty lives in Bloomsburg and received her Masters degree in 2022.

Doug Lynn enters his second season serving as the assistant coach for the Bloomsburg softball program. Taking on the role late in the fall, Lynn jumped right in to help maintain the program standard for the Huskies. Bloomsburg finished with a 33-24 record in 2024, including an 18-14 mark in the PSAC Eastern Division. The 33 wins were the most by a Huskies team since the 2016 season, leading to PSAC and NCAA Tournament appearances. Lynn played a critical role in the development of several players, including the three underclass representatives from the Huskies on all-conference teams. Sophomore Taylor Kranzley posted a tremendous second season en route to second-team All-PSAC East honors at second base, while freshmen Josie Straigis and Sarah Yamrick each earned second-team nods in their first seasons as critical utility players. All three players finished the season hitting above .300 while driving in at least 28 RBI. Alongside his influence in the offensive phase, Bloomsburg finished tied for second in the PSAC with a .967 fielding percentage with guidance from Lynn.  

Eric Usbeck returns to Bloomsburg after a four-year stint as the head coach of a fellow PSAC institution, Millersville, and two years as the assistant at Misericordia.   During his four years with Millersville, Usbeck led the Marauders to a new level of success. He set the program's best dual meet record for any head coach and guided Millersville to its best finish at the PSAC Championship in three-straight seasons – eighth in 2020-21, 2021-22, and seventh in 2022-23. The Marauders' 534 points in 2022-23 were the highest point total for Millersville at a PSAC championship event.   Before Millersville, Usbeck spent two seasons at Misericordia as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped the Cougars to a fourth-place finish at the MAC Championships in 2019. In addition to his experience at Misericordia, Usbeck served as a camp counselor at the University at Buffalo and a swim coach for the Greater Scranton YMCA for three years.   As a swimmer at Bloomsburg, Usbeck was an All-PSAC performer 19 times and a five-time PSAC Champion. He was voted team MVP and was the winner of the Robert B. Redman Senior Male Athlete of the Year award in 2017. He was a three-time recipient of Bloomsburg's Dave Gibas Award. He earned All-America honors in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays and the 200-yard medley relay. He was an honorable mention All-American in the 100-yard breaststroke and two relays as a senior. Usbeck set four Bloomsburg and PSAC records as part of relay teams.    Usbeck is a 2017 graduate of Bloomsburg University and earned his graduate degree in organizational management from Misericordia in 2019.