Chatham University Women's Softball

Coach Marsili has been coaching girls’ and womens’ fastpitch softball for over 20 years. Beginning at the Little League level, he quickly moved on to coaching at the high school level, leading teams in the Eastern Pittsburgh League and Greater Pittsburgh League to championships. At the same time, he created, recruited, and developed the Kiski Valley Storm Travel Team as head coach. This team finished top three in 80% of the tournaments it participated in. For three years, Coach Marsili was the assistant varsity coach for the Kiski Area High School team that won the section championship each of those year. In 2010, Coach Marsili made the move to the collegiate level as head coach at Penn State New Kensington. During his tenure as head coach, the team made the PSUAC Final Four in 2021 and 2024, and was the conference runner up in 2023, the same year he was named PSUAC Coach of the Year. In 2023 and 2024 his teams qualified for the small college world series, ranked #6 and #4 respectively. The Marsili File Year Record PAC Record Winning Percentage 2024-25 14-26 6-14 .350 Total 14-26 6-14 .350

Yuri Franca brings over 20 years of coaching experience to his role as the Head Squash Coach at Chatham University. Originally from Brazil, Yuri’s passion for squash began at a young age, quickly establishing him as one of the top junior players in South America and the United States. He was a prominent member of the Brazilian national team and made his mark on the international stage with a successful professional career, achieving a career-high world ranking of 252. A natural talent for coaching, Yuri began guiding players early in his career and has since become known for his ability to develop both junior and professional athletes. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of coaching many talented players, including a South American Junior Champion and several top professional players in Brazil. In 2013, Yuri moved to San Diego, California, where he served as the Head Coach for the San Diego Squash Club and the Squash Director for Access Youth Academy, a non-profit organization focused on introducing squash to underprivileged youth. His dedication to the sport and the community has had a lasting impact, helping numerous students improve their game and earn spots on college squash teams. From 2022 to 2025, Yuri served as an Assistant Coach for the men’s and women’s squash teams at Amherst College. His leadership played a key role in the team’s victory in the College National Championship (CSA Summers Cup), and the coaching staff was honored with the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year award during his tenure. Yuri holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and is driven by a passion to inspire and elevate student-athletes, helping them achieve excellence both on and off the court. As Head Squash Coach at Chatham University, Yuri is committed to building a competitive and inclusive program, developing players’ skills, and fostering a culture of academic and athletic achievement.

Morgan Soulia was hired in the fall of 2025 as the head women's and men's swimming and diving coach at Chatham University. Morgan is a passionate and experienced swim coach with a strong competitive background and a proven track record of athlete development. A 2015 graduate of North Allegheny High School, she was a multi-time team and pool record holder, 4x All-American, 4x Scholastic All-American, and a multi-time WPIAL and PIAA medalist. At the University of Richmond, she competed as a Division I swimmer, becoming the Atlantic 10 Champion in the 200 IM (2017) and earning multiple individual and relay medals.   Morgan’s coaching background includes roles as Associate Head Coach of Dolphin Club (VA), Head Coach of Hershey Aquatic Club (PA), Head Site Coach for PEAQ CV (2022–2025), and the Chartiers Valley Middle and High Schools Head Coach. Under her leadership, the CV girls captured their first-ever section championship in the 2022–2023 season. In 2024–2025, both the CV boys and girls teams made program history again by securing section titles—marking the first time in CV athletics history that both teams won in the same season. She also served as an AMS LCM Zones Coach in 2023.   Morgan is a dedicated educator, holding a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Richmond, a PA 7–12 Mathematics Teaching Certification, an M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University, and an M.A. in Special Education from Point Park University. She also holds certifications in Lifeguarding and CPR. With a colorful history as both a competitive swimmer and coach, she brings passion, energy, and a deep love for the sport to every team she leads. Her leadership and commitment to excellence have helped swimmers reach new heights both in and out of the pool.

Former collegiate athlete and dedicated coach, Coach Lesko played baseball at Penn State New Kensington from 2014 to 2017, excelling as an outfielder and first baseman. As a senior, he was honored as a team captain and received the prestigious Darby Leadership Award for his commitment and leadership on and off the field. Following his playing career, he served as an assistant softball coach at Penn State New Kensington from 2017 to 2022. Over five seasons, he played a pivotal role in developing the program into a championship contender, helping the team reach the PSUAC Championship Final Four for the first time in nearly a decade. Passionate about player development, Coach Lesko is committed to fostering a culture of excellence both on the field and in the classroom. He believes in shaping well-rounded student-athletes who not only compete at a high level but also achieve academic success, preparing them for future opportunities beyond the game.

[email protected] Program Director & Associate Professor of Special Education Hometown : Pittsburgh, PA Joined Chatham : 2012 Academic Areas of Interest Preservice Teacher Education Students with Reading Disabilities Personal Areas of Interest Dr. Harty is a mother to three children who attend school in the Woodland Hills School District. In her spare time, she enjoys attending her children’s extra-curricular activities, going to Disney and watching broadway musicals performed in Pittsburgh and New York. Biography Dr. Kristin Harty joined the Chatham faculty in fall 2012 as Associate Professor of Special Education and was named Chairperson/Program Director in 2014. Dr. Harty earned her Ph.D. and M.Ed. in special education from the University of Pittsburgh and her BS in special education from Penn State University. Dr. Harty is certified as a special education teacher and reading specialist. Dr. Harty has taught reading in a variety of settings in the public schools and has provided in-service training to several school districts on developmentally appropriate practices and reading interventions. For four years, Dr. Harty served as a Reading Consultant for Plum Borough School District. In that position, she observed teachers and provided suggestions and commendations on their small and whole group reading instruction. Dr. Harty previously was a special education teacher in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Early Intervention, for Easter Seals of Western Pennsylvania, and a service coordinator for Early Intervention, Alliance for Infants in Pittsburgh. Dr. Harty has completed model demonstration projects and has served as Project Co-coordinator for Dr. R.E. O’Connor’s Reading Comprehension in Inclusive Classrooms and Layers of Intervention Model Demonstration Project. As a Project Co-Coordinator, she was involved in all aspects of both studies from the initial grant proposal through the final analysis and dissemination of the information.. Dr. Harty has co-authored several publications about reading interventions and has presented at local, state, and national conferences. Dr. Harty is Mexican-American and has a strong interest in teaching students who are from culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Throughout her career, she has worked directly with parents of children with disabilities to educate and inform them about the special education system. EDUCATION Ph.D. Special Education, University of Pittsburgh M.Ed. Special Education, University of Pittsburgh B.S. Special Education, Penn State University CERTIFICATIONS Pennsylvania Teaching Certification: Students with Physical/Mental Disabilities and Reading Specialist