Malone University Women's Softball

Jeff Hite was hired as the Head Softball Coach at Malone University in September of 2021.   Malone University Career Coaching Record Year School Wins Losses W/L Pct. 2022 Malone University 7 25 .219 2023 Malone University 15 27 .357 2024 Malone University 28 20 .583 2025 Malone University 24 20 .545 Totals: Total 74 92 .446 Malone University Honor Roll 2 Great Midwest All-Conference Selections 15 Great Midwest Academic All-Conference Selections 10 NCCAA Scholar-Athlete Award Winners 2 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week Award Winners Prior to Malone University The 7x Federal League Softball Coach of the Year and 2x Federal League Baseball Coach of the Year at North Canton Hoover High School has won over 600 career games at various levels.   Hite won a combined nine Federal League championships, six sectional championships, and six district championships on both the softball and baseball field at Hoover. He also led the Lady Vikings to a pair of state softball championships in 1998 and 1999.   After retiring from Hoover High School in 2018, Hite went on to coach a local collegiate wood bat summer baseball team, the Stark County Terriers. He led the Terriers to National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series Runner-Up finishes in both 2019 and 2021. Education | Playing Career Accolades A 1982 graduate of Ashland University, Hite has numerous personal accolades that include inductions into: Stark County Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame (2006), Ashland University Athletic Hall of Fame (2006), Tuscarawas County Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame (2018), the North Canton Hoover High School Athletic Hall of Fame (2021) and the Northeast Ohio Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2025).

In March of 2023, Karen Marinos was hired alongside Krista Klein as the co-head coach to help launch the Malone University STUNT program. Marinos brings over 20 years of coaching and instruction experience in cheer, dance, and STUNT to the Pioneers.   Most previously she has been the head cheer coach at Central Catholic High School here in Canton where she raised the program to new heights. The Crusaders are now competitive on both the local and national levels.

In March of 2023, Krista Klein was hired alongside Karen Marinos as the co-head coach to help launch the Malone University STUNT program. Cheerleading, dance, and gymnastics have always been a part of Krista Klein's life. While obtaining her bachelor's degree from the University of Akron in communications with a specialization in radio, TV, and news, she was on the Zips' co-ed cheerleading team.   Prior to that she was on her high school's cheerleading team that competed in STUNT as well.   Her coaching experience includes working with local cheerleading teams at both Lake Center Christian School and Lake Middle School.   In addition to that coaching expertise, Klein comes to Malone with years of management and ownership experience in the corporate business world.

The Malone University Athletics Department welcomed Malone alumna Delaney Ferrell as the eighth swimming & diving coach in program history in the summer of 2026. She had previously served as an assistant coach at GlenOak High School and was an Instructional Support Staff member at the elementary school level.   Ferrell was a member of the Malone University swimming & diving team from 2019-24. She was a part of the women's team that placed third at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC)/Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championships in 2019-20 and a fourth-place finish in 2020-21. She is a member of the 200-yard medley relay team that is inside the top-five in school history.

Jerry Reynolds was hired as the Assistant Softball Coach at Malone University in September of 2021. He is coming back to his alma mater with 30 years of experience. Before his coaching career started, Reynolds played for the St. Petersburg Cardinals, which is a baseball team that is a part of the St. Louis Cardinals farm system. Reynolds then took on his first coaching job prior to the 1992-93 season with the Mount Vernon Nazarene University softball team where he helped lead the team to the program's first NCCAA championship in the spring of '93. In 1996, Reynolds was named the varsity head softball coach at Heritage Christian High School, where he started the softball and volleyball program. He also helped lead the volleyball team to a sectional championship title. After coaching at Heritage Christian, Reynolds went on to become the Assistant Basketball Coach at West Virginia State University from 1999-2000. Then from 2000-2003, Reynolds was named the football and softball assistant coach at Malone University (then Malone College). While he was coaching football and softball at Malone, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. After coaching football and softball at Malone, Reynolds pursued another opportunity at East Canton High School to become the Varsity Head Softball Coach in 2008. During his time at East Canton, he led his team to a District Finals Championship and their first winning season. Four years later, Reynolds was named the JV Head Softball Coach at Louisville High School in 2012, where his team had an undefeated season.

Demarets joined the swimming and diving team as a Graduate Assistant Coach in the fall of 2025. Originally from Pocatello, Idaho, Demarets is a 2025 graduate from Alma College in Michigan where she competed on the swimming and diving team for four years.   While competing collegiately, Demarets helped to assist her head coach at Alma with recruiting tasks. She would contact potential athletes providing them with information about the program and college. Demarets also served with the Student Advancement Association to organize events to engage alumnus. She brings an abundance of skills to the Malone swimming and diving program.   In addition to her swimming and diving participation, Demarets was a lifeguard and swim instructor, enjoying her time around the water. As a swim instructor, she assisted children and adults in learning basic water skills and safety and accommodated them based on their swim level. Demarets created schedules to meet with students individually to ensure their improvement.