July 6, 2005

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - With over a decade of experience both playing and coaching, Jeanine Gunther will take the helm as the head softball coach at Lafayette.

"I'm very excited about coming to Lafayette and the Patriot League," Gunther said. "Competing on the Division I level combined with high academic standards were the attractive aspects of the position for me. I cannot wait to jump in and start moving towards our immediate goal of competing for a Patriot League playoff berth."

Gunther comes to College Hill after one season as head coach for the University of Rochester. There she guided her team to a 27-18 record, posting both a program record for wins and Rochester's first winning record in school history. Under Gunther, Rochester also earned a bid to the ECAC Upstate Softball Tournament, and three players garnered NFCA All-Northeast Region honors.

Gunther made her mark in her undergraduate years at the University of North Carolina, where you could find her behind the plate for the Tar Heels while earning her degree in English. The 1997 graduate served as the team captain her final two seasons, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors her junior season.

In 1998, Gunther opted to remain at UNC as a volunteer assistant coach.

The following summer she played professionally for the Georgia Pride of the Women's Professional Fastpitch League.

In the fall of 1998, Gunther jumped into coaching full swing, spending four years at East Stroudsburg University. She served as an assistant for two years and was appointed head coach beginning in the 2000-2001 season.

In 2002, Gunther left ESU to pursue her master's degree at Penn State University. In August 2004, she graduated with a M.Ed. in Higher Education with a concentration in College Student Personnel. While furthering her education, in the spring 2004 season, Gunther was a volunteer assistant coach at Bloomsburg University, working primarily with the catchers. She also served as head catching instructor for Bloomsburg's summer softball camp from 1999-2004.

Since the summer of 1994, Gunther has worked for Carolina Softball Camps in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Outside of the coaching role, Gunther worked as a graduate intern for both the Bloomsburg New Student Orientation Program and later Penn State's Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes. She also held a graduate assistantship with Penn State's AT&T Center for Service Leadership in 2002-2003.

"We are pleased to have someone of Jeanine's caliber join our staff," Athletic Director Bruce McCutcheon said. "Her breadth of coaching experience and playing success in the ACC make her a great candidate to continue building on the success of our softball program."

Gunther begins the position on July 11.

The Leopards finished the 2004-2005 season 11-34 overall and 3-15 in conference play.