Softball clinic scheduled for May 22 is cancelled
The softball clinic scheduled for May 22 at Kalamazoo College has been cancelled due to low registration numbers. Please check back for other camp and clinic opportunities in the future.

Softball falls to Alma in season finale
The softball team finished the 2010 season with a pair of losses to Alma on Saturday, May 1. Kalamazoo had three hits in a 26-0 loss in the opener. Rayanne Burl, Maureen Newman and Lynza Halberstadt each had a hit. Kalamazoo had two hits in the second game while falling 23-0. Jacque Garrison and Elizabeth Howcroft each had a hit for the Hornets. Game One - Game Two

Softball battles Hope in 4-1 loss
The softball team dropped a pair of games to Hope on Wednesday, April 28. Kalamazoo fell 15-1 in the first game, but had several chances to win the second game before falling, 4-1. In the opener, Hope had eight hits to Kalamazoo's four. Rayanne Burl had two hits and an RBI. In the second game, Kalamazoo had six hits while Hope had 11 hits. Kalamazoo trailed 1-0 after four innings and 3-0 after five innings. The Hornets had two runners on in each of the last four innings, but were only able to push one across in the seventh before falling, 4-1. Six different players had a hit for Kalamazoo, including a double by Ellen Murphy. Kalamazoo wraps up the regular season against Alma at home on Saturday, May 1 at 1 p.m. Game One - Game Two

Softball falls at home to Olivet
The softball team lost a pair of home games to Olivet on Saturday, April 24. Olivet won by scores of 23-4 and 13-4. In the opener, Kalamazoo scored four runs on nine hits. Jacque Garrison, Jessica Maas and Maureen Newman were each 2-for-3. Maas had two RBIs. In the second game, Kalamazoo took a 4-2 lead in the top of the third, but Olivet scored 11 runs in the bottom half to take the lead for good. Kalamazoo had six hits in the game. Michelle Maiuri was 2-for-3. Jacque Garrison had a home run and two RBIs. Rayanne Burl had a double and two RBIs. Kalamazoo hosts Hope on Wednesday, April 28 at 3:30 p.m. Game One - Game Two

Softball falls at Rochester College
The softball team lost a pair of games at Rochester College, 16-5 and 14-5, on Monday, April 19. Kalamazoo had seven hits in each game. Jacque Garrison had a triple and two RBIs in the first game. She also had a double and two RBIs in the second game. Rayanne Burl was 2-for-2 in the second game. Bethany Gross had two RBIs. Kalamazoo hosts Olivet on Saturday, April 24 at 1 p.m. Game One - Game Two

Softball drops doubleheader at Albion
The softball team lost a pair of games at Albion on Saturday, April 17. Albion scored 10 runs in the first inning on the way to a 22-1 win. Jacque Garrison had a double and Michelle Maiuri also had a hit for Kalamazoo. Albion won the second game, 21-1. Jacque Garrison was 2-for-2 with a double. The Hornets travel to play Rochester College at Oakland University on Monday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. Game One - Game Two

Softball falls at Calvin
The softball team lost a pair of games at Calvin on Tuesday, April 13, falling 10-0 in the first game and 13-3 in the second game. In the opener, Calvin scored nine runs in the second inning while the Hornets were held scoreless. Jessica Maas had the only hit for Kalamazoo. In the second game, Calvin won 13-3 in six innings. Kalamazoo had five hits in the game. Bethany Gross and Jessica Maas each had a double. Michelle Maiuri had a triple. Kalamazoo returns to action at Albion on Saturday, April 17. Game One - Game Two

Garrison has two hits in Softball loss at Adrian
The softball team lost a pair of games at Adrian on Saturday, April 10. Adrian won the first game 16-0 while holding Kalamazoo without a hit. The Bulldogs won the second game, 15-1. Jacque Garrison was 2-for-2 for the Hornets. Kalamazoo returns to action on Tuesday, April 13 at Calvin. Game One - Game Two

Softball suffers loss at Trine
The softball team suffered a 32-0 loss at Trine on Friday, April 9. The game was the conclusion of the doubleheader that began on April 7 and had the second game rained out. Rayanne Burl, Michelle Maiuri and Bethany Gross each had a hit for the Hornets. Kalamazoo returns to action on Saturday, April 10 at Adrian. Box Score

Softball drops opener at Trine
The softball team lost 14-0 in the first game of a doubleheader at Trine on Wednesday, April 7. Trine's three-run home run in the first started the scoring for the Thunder as the Hornets were held without a hit in the game. The second game was postponed due to rain and is rescheduled for Friday, April 9 at 4:30 p.m. at Trine. Box Score

Garrison homers against Saint Mary's
Jacque Garrison capped off a five-run second inning with a two-run home run against Saint Mary's on Tuesday, April 5. The game was the completion of the second game of a doubleheader that began on Saturday, April 3, with Saint Mary's winning, 23-5. Garrison's home run was her first of the season and was hit deep to right-center. Michelle Maiuri was 2-for-2 in the game as the Hornets had six hits overall. Kalamazoo is scheduled to travel to Trine on Wednesday, April 7. Box Score

Softball falls to Saint Mary's in MIAA opener
The softball team lost to Saint Mary's 30-6 in the MIAA opener on Saturday, April 3. The Hornets actually led 2-1 after the first inning, but the Belles exploded for nine runs in the second and 14 in the third. Kalamazoo added a run in the third and three runs in the fourth. The Hornets had five hits in the game, led by Lyndsay Nuyen's 2-for-2 effort with four RBIs. The second game was suspended in the top of the second inning with Saint Mary's leading, 8-3. That game is scheduled to be completed on Tuesday, April 6 at 4:30 p.m. Game One

Softball plays three games on Monday
Due to rain on Sunday, the softball team had three games scheduled in Florida on Monday, March 22. Kalamazoo faced Mount Mercy in the morning, falling 15-0. Michelle Maiuri had a hit while Rayanne Burl went 2-for-3 in the game. In the afternoon, Kalamazoo fell 15-0 to Luther College. Michelle Maiuri and Jacque Garrison each had a hit. The Hornets faced Lawrence in the evening and were defeated, 13-0. Michelle Maiuri had another hit and Bethany Gross had a double.

Softball falls to Mount Mercy in season opener
The Kalamazoo College softball team fell 20-0 to Mount Mercy College (Iowa) in the season opener on Sunday, March 21. Michelle Maiuri and Elizabeth Howcroft each had a hit for Kalamazoo. All games were pushed back several hours due to rain, and the second game was rescheduled for Monday, March 22 at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday's games against Luther and Lawrence are still scheduled for 3:30 and 5:30, respectively.

Kalamazoo College Names Brian De Witt Head Softball Coach
Kalamazoo College announced the hiring of Brian De Witt as head softball coach on Friday, May 29.

“We are excited about the experiences that Brian brings to campus,” said Kristen Smith, Director of Athletics. “He turned around one softball program and started another competitive program from scratch. I am confident that his experiences will help him lead the Kalamazoo College softball program to a higher level.”

“I am honored to be chosen to lead the Kalamazoo College softball program,” said De Witt. “Kalamazoo is a great academic school that turns out quality students. I am excited about the opportunity to build a quality softball program that mirrors the success of the students in the classroom.”

After coaching in the high school ranks for five years in his home state of Wisconsin, De Witt took over a struggling program at Highland Community College in Kansas in 2001-02. He took a program that won just four games during his first season to 14 wins in his second season and 25 wins by his third season (2004). In addition to the turnaround on the field, De Witt’s teams earned NJCAA Academic All-American honors each season.

Later in 2004, De Witt was offered the opportunity to become the first coach of a new softball program at Louisiana State University at Eunice. In addition to being able to assist in building the new softball complex, De Witt recruited the first team to LSU-Eunice and led them to a 21-19 record and national ranking during the inaugural 2006 season. Each of De Witt’s three Bengal teams advanced to the conference post-season tournament.

De Witt earned his bachelor’s in education degree at the University of Wisconsin–LaCrosse in 1995. He earned his master’s degree at UW-LaCrosse in 2000.

“My experiences at UW-LaCrosse, a Division III school, showed me the importance of balancing athletics with academics,” De Witt said. “Kalamazoo College feels like the right fit for me and my coaching style. It is the perfect size where students get to know their professors. It’s like having an extended family.”

In addition to his coaching experience, De Witt has taught health and physical education courses at the middle school level as well as at Highland Community College and LSU-Eunice. He has experience in parks and recreation administration and has organized numerous softball leagues and tournaments. As a fastpitch player himself, De Witt was a member of two Tri-State ISC Travel League championship teams, competed in three national fastpitch tournaments and three International Softball Congress World Tournaments.

De Witt plans to be on campus during the middle of June.

“I am looking forward to getting to Kalamazoo and getting to know the team and the community,” De Witt said. “I am eager to build the program's reputation into one of success. The players I have met are eager to learn, want to work hard, and are looking forward to getting back on the field next spring.”

Softball earns NFCA Academic Award
The 2007-08 Kalamazoo College softball team was recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as one of the Girls Got Game Top Ten All-Academic Teams based on GPAs for the 2007-08 academic year. Kalamazoo was third overall in NCAA Division III with a 3.531 cumulative team GPA, and eighth among all four-year colleges and universities. NFCA Release