Head Coach Kelly Shannon
Entering 16th season overall: 352-296-1 *All at LHU
Kelly Shannon is set to begin her 16th season as the Bald Eagles head coach. She is just the fifth coach for the LHU softball program.
The 2017 and 2018 PSAC Central Coach of the Year reached the illustrious win No. 300 in 2022 and became the Lock Haven softball program's all-time winningest coach in 2024 with her 347th victory at The Haven.
The 2024 season by the numbers:
In 2024, the Bald Eagles finished 18-26 overall and 14-18 in the PSAC East. On April 14, the Bald Eagles took down West Chester, 3-1, to earn Shannon's 347th head coaching victory at The Haven, moving her into first place all-time in program history.
Following the season, Delaney Good was named First Team All-PSAC East and First Team as an outfielder. Good broke the Bald Eagles' career batting average record, after finishing her career at Lock Haven with a .416 batting average.
On March 30, Riley McClellan broke the Lock Haven career stolen base record after swiping her 89th bag as a Bald Eagle.
- The 2023 season by the numbers:
Lock Haven is coming off an exciting season where it finished 24-24 overall and 14-18 in the PSAC East, missing the postseason by just one game.
The Bald Eagles featured one of the most explosive offenses in the conference and finished second in on-base-percentage (.388), fourth in team-batting average (.314) and fourth in stolen bases (85-of-95), and sixth in slugging percentage (.448).
Following the season, Delaney Good was named an All-PSAC First Team Outfielder, while Good and Bella Schmitt earned All-Atlantic Region Honors. Good, who broke the Lock Haven single-season hit record, was also named to the D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Team.
Academically, five student-athletes were named to the Academic All-District Team, while eight players were named NFCA All-American Scholar-Athletes.
- The 2022 season by the numbers:
In the 2022 season, The Haven picked up some serious steam over the second half of the season, winning eight of its final 11 games and moving to 19-18 on the season. In the final doubleheader of the season, sophomore pitcher Madison Waltman tossing a no-hitter and struck out seven batters to pick up the win.
The Bald Eagle also saw left-fielder Delaney Good named to the Second-Team in the PSAC East after a stellar season from the sophomore.
Academically, Shannon's leadership saw even more success in the classroom as an incredible seven Bald Eagles earned NFCA Academic All-American honors, and another 11 named PSAC Scholar-Athletes.
More on Shannon:
In 2021 the Bald Eagles enjoyed a ten-win season that saw Lock Haven defeat No. 20 West Chester early in the year.
The 2021 Lock Haven offense was one to be reckoned with. Riley McClellan notched a team-high 34 hits and five homeruns. Summer Peters and Haley Lestician both notched 31 hits last spring and Morgan Karasek tallied 14.
In 2020, the Bald Eagles started a shortened season 6-10 in non-conference play. Going into the 2020 season, Lock Haven was considered one of the favorites for the “Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference” (PSAC) title as the team claimed the top spot in the PSAC Central Preseason Poll.
Despite the shortened slate, the 2020 season showed early promise for the Bald Eagles. Shannon led the Bald Eagles to a six-win start in tournament play at the 2020 Snowbird Softball Freeze Out and the PFX Tournament in Florida.
Sophomore standout Mikayla Ruppert had a hot start to the year as Shannon coached her to a .392 batting average on 51 at-bats. Shannon also revealed the potential of freshman pitcher Jada Schellhammer who started with a dominant 6-3 win loss record over 52 innings pitched. She boasted a sturdy 3.23 ERA.
For the Lock Haven University softball team, the 2019 season will certainly go down as one to remember. The Bald Eagles saved their best for last and a made a remarkable run into the postseason. LHU finished the regular season on a six-game unbeaten streak before embarking on a storybook run to the 2019 PSAC Tournament title. It marked Lock Haven's first PSAC Championship in a decade. By way of the PSAC title, LHU entered the 2019 NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 seed.
Standout pitcher Bekah Slattery was named the 2019 PSAC Central Pitcher of the Year, and both Casey Carpenter and Rachel Gricoski were named to the All-Conference Team as well.
Slattery did it all for Lock Haven, thanks in large part to the guidance of coach Shannon. Slattery was nominated for 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year honors. Slatterry took home LHU's 2018-19 Charlotte Smith Award winner, which goes to The Haven's top female senior student-athlete each year. She led LHU on a remarkable postseason run. Her dominance in the pitcher's circle powered Lock Haven to its first conference title in 10 years and she guided the Bald Eagles into the 2019 NCAA Division II national tournament. In all, she was named to three different 2019 All-American teams after being named the Pitcher of the Year in both the Atlantic Region and PSAC Central Division. For her career, Slattery was named the PSAC Central Division's Pitcher of the Year three times and she was a four-time All-Conference selection. Over a four-season span, she led Lock Haven to four PSAC Tournament appearances and three NCAA DII tournament appearances. Slattery’s 856 career strikeouts sit behind only Hall of Famer Kristin Erb at LHU, and she's No. 6 all-time in PSAC history.
A full look back at the remarkable 2019 season - - click here
The 2018 season was another strong season for the Bald Eagles as Shannon led The Haven to a 38-14 overall record. Shannon was named the PSAC Central Coach of the Year as well, marking the second straight season where she has been tabbed the Central's top coach and deservingly so after the Bald Eagles remarkable run that led to a historic 20-0 finish in division play.
Shannon also placed seven athletes on the 2018 All-PSAC Central Division Team: Bekah Slattery, Madison Mathes, Faith Ceely, Moriah Lindsey, Kayla Gee, Becca Caputo and Bree Hilty.
A total of seven players from the 2018 Lock Haven University softball team were named All-American Scholar-Athletes and the team was rewarded with a 2017-18 Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) National Academic Team award. The awarded athletes were Becca Caputo, Faith Ceely, Traci Kromko, Moriah Lindsey, Amanda Loar, Bekah Slattery and Taryn Williams.
In 2017, Shannon eclipsed the 200-win plateau when the Bald Eagles swept Bloomfield on April, 24. Shannon’s career record after the 2017 season is 205-164 and 88-71 in the PSAC. For her excellent coaching, she was named the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Central Coach of the Year. It was the first time in her career where she was named the division’s coach of the year.
Also earning PSAC Central honors were five Bald Eagles including McKenna Garlock, Michelle Holweger, Bekah Slattery, Rachel Mouillesseaux and Faith Ceely. Garlock also earned a spot on the 2017 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Atlantic Region team.
The Bald Eagles finished the season with a 28-21 record and a 13-7 conference mark. The Haven earned a spot in the PSAC tournament where LHU went 3-2. Highlighting the exciting 2017 tournament run was the team’s 3-0 day, as all three wins came in elimination games after LHU opened the tournament with a loss.
The classroom was another prominent feature for the program as a total of 13 members earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-athlete honors.
In 2016, Shannon cracked the 150-win barrier, finishing the season with 177 total wins.
The Bald Eagles earned a NCAA tournament berth (Atlantic 2 Regional) by finishing with an overall record of 36-19, and 14-6 in conference, winning 12 of the last 17 games entering the NCAA tournament.
Highlighting the season was Bekah Slattery who was named the PSAC Central Division Pitcher of the Year. Michelle Holweger, Rachel Mouillesseaux, and Mckenna Garlock all joined Slattery on the All-PSAC Central team.
She also helped lead four players to All-Region honors. Bekah Slattery earned first team All-Atlantic Region/District two honors while McKenna Garlock and Rachel Mouillesseaux earned second team. Michelle Holweger earned second team NFCA All-Atlantic Region team.
LHU continued to excel in the classroom where nine players earned NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honors.
Following the 2015 season, four players earned All-Conference honors, including McKenna Garlock who earned PSAC First Team East honors. The trio of Sarah Schwalm, Rachel Mouillesseaux and Nicole Smith all earned Second Team honors.
The Bald Eagles also dominated in the classroom last season with seven players earning NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honors.
LHU went 15-27 overall and 11-17 in PSAC play in 2015.
Lock Haven finished the 2014 season 19-26 overall and the Bald Eagles were 12-16 in PSAC play. LHU went a sensational 12-5 over the last 17 games of the season, as it did everything it could to rally down the stretch for a playoff spot.
Highlighting the 2013 season, was Shannon’s 100th career win. Just her fourth season as head coach, Shannon picked up her 100th win quickly and in 2013, it also marked the fourth season where she won at least 22 games.
In the 2013 season, Shannon led the Bald Eagles to 29-15 overall and 11-5 in conference mark. 2013 marked Lock Haven's 10th straight post-season appearance and third straight NCAA Tournament. LHU entered the 2013 NCAA Tournament 28-14 overall and despite a 0-2 performance at the PSAC Tournament and a four-game losing skid to close the regular season, The Haven received the No. 5 seed.
Shannon led six Bald Eagles to All-PSAC Central honors in 2013 season. Bridgette Clarke, Nicole Smith, Alicia Cacciotti, Taylor Magee, Brianna Jennings, and Chelsea Edwards earned All-PSAC honors. Clarke was named the NFCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team.
The 2012 team made a huge late-season run into the post-season led by Shannon. After going, 11-5 in PSAC Central play and claiming the regular-season title, Lock Haven advance to the title game of the Atlantic Region Championships. Shannon coached numerous players-of-the-week and guided LHU's Nicole Smith to the 2012 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II Second Team honors.
In 2011 the Bald Eagles made a run for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship falling short in the title game. Shannon coached four All-Conference players including the Freshman of the Year.
The 2010 team earned a spot in the PSAC Central semifinal. Shannon coached two All PSAC Central Second Team selections.
Shannon was named Lock Haven’s head coach in July 2009 and the 2010 season marked her first as head coach.
Prior to being named the head coach, Shannon served as the top assistant coach with The Haven program from 2003 to 2009, where she assisted in all facets of the game including recruiting.
Shannon was LHU’s primary pitching coach and a big reason behind the success of Kristin Erb, who capped off her career as one of the most dominating pitchers NCAA softball has ever seen, as Erb shattered numerous school, conference and NCAA records. Erb was a charter member of LHU’s Athletics Hall of Fame (2015).
Shannon was a key part of the staff, which was named 2009 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Coaching Staff of the Year following Lock Haven’s second National Championship. The 2006 and 2009 LHU softball squads won the NCAA Division II National Softball Championships, thanks in large part to Shannon’s amazing coaching abilities.
*Updated May 22, 2024
