Melanie Gregor - Head Coach - 3rd Season
Coach Gregor enters her third season at the helm of Holy Names Softball in 2009-2010, coming off the most successful season since its inception in 2007-2008. During 2008-2009 Holy Names Softball captured the 2009 California Pacific Conference Championship in Softball, was an NAIA National Softball Tournament competitor, and had players named the 2009 Cal Pac Player of the Year (Valerie Briones-San Leandro), Pitcher of the Year (Stephani Fairclough-Antioch), Freshman of the Year (Rachael Martinez-Antioch), and Newcomer of the Year (tiffany Cahn-Castro Valley). Additionally, Coach Gregor was voted Coach of the Year by her peers, a distinction Coach Gregor fervently advocates extends to the entire coaching staff for the success generated both as a team and as individuals. Coach Gregor believes, "Our success came as the result of team and individual effort, from both our players and our coaching staff. Neither the athletes nor myself gained our distinctions without incredible help along the way."
The 2009 season resulted in a 25-18 overall record, 15-5 in Cal Pac Conference play with a .750 winning percentage in Cal Pac. HNU led the conference in Batting Average (Tiffany Chan-.403), and Slugging Pct. (Rachael Martinez .564) with at least 70 At Bats, as well as, ERA/Strike Outs per game (Stephani Fairclough 1.71/10.51) and total Stolen Bases (Stephanie Neal 16 steals for 17 attempts, .941 success ratio). "These statistics are representative of why Holy Names swept the year-end conference accolades," said Coach Gregor.
In 2008, HNU posted a respectable inaugural season, compiling a 19-26 season record, but because Cal Pac didn't have the minimum number of teams to sponsor an NAIA conference, HNU didn't qualify for any post season play. "Our first year was a growing and learning year. We came into 2009 knowing exactly what needed to be done to qualify for direct National Tournament qualification from the Cal Pac Conference, and set about seeking to accomplish that goal from the end of the season in the Spring of 2008. Making 2009 Nationals was the realization of a season and off-season long goal," analyzed Coach Gregor.
Since January 2007, Coach Gregor has been the Head Softball Coach, spearheading the recruitment of the first-ever 20 member softball squad. Prior to her appointment at HNU, Coach Gregor was head coach and physical education instructor at Contra Costa College from 2003-2007 and the head women's varsity volleyball coach at the Athenian School in Danvillefrom 2003-2007.
Coach Gregor received her MA in Sport Psychology at John F.Kennedy University in 2002 and her BS in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in 1978. Coach Gregor's path to Holy Names Softball has consisted of coaching at the junior high school, high school and Junior College levels in Minnesota and California, as well as, teaching junior college, high school, junior high school and elementary physical education. Coach Gregor also coached high end (A & B level) recreational teams in softball and volleyball, in addition to coaching swimming and track and field.