Familiar Face Takes the Helm of Merrimack College Softball Program

By Joe O'Connell
Associate Vice President, Communications & Media Relations

Merrimack's new softball coach is very familiar with the team's history, culture and play, as well as the College's longstanding support of athletics.
 
Merrimack's transformed campus, however, is something she'll be familiarizing herself with more.
 
"There are so many new buildings and names, it feels like I graduated 50 years ago and not 15," joked Jill Gagnon '09, who on Dec. 1 was announced as the new head softball coach at her alma mater. "This program means a lot to me and I'm really excited to start a new chapter of Merrimack softball."
 
Gagnon, who will be on the bench for Merrimack this upcoming spring season, is succeeding longtime head coach Elaine Schwager, who coached Gagnon from 2006-09. During that period, Gagnon, a pitcher, earned all-conference and all-championship honors in the Northeast 10 Conference, in addition to being named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American East Region First Team.
 
"Merrimack softball was a powerhouse in Division II and that is one of the main reasons I chose to go here," said Gagnon. "I am really appreciative of Coach Schwager's support throughout this process and I now have a unique advantage in that I played for the same coach as the current players and I know what the foundation is going to be because I lived it."
 
Gagnon said a fond memory she has from her time playing at Merrimack is the community-wide support for athletics. From the administration to faculty to dining hall staff, Warrior pride is something that sets Merrimack apart.
 
"That support translated well to all the teams," she said. "The culture of athletics when I was at Merrimack was hard working and every team was trying to be something great. And I think Merrimack softball has the chance to really compete."
 
As a coach, Gagnon established her own powerhouse at Saint Anselm College. Over the course of her 12 seasons there, she amassed 316 victories, the most in that program's history, while leading the Hawks to seven appearances in the NCAA Division II softball tournament and three conference titles.
 
The coaching philosophy that led to a storied career at Saint Anselm and that she will bring to Merrimack College is one where the players are hungry to win and have no regrets when they graduate. 
 
"It is a huge sacrifice to be a student-athlete and you want to walk across that Commencement stage saying it was all worth it," Gagnon said. "In our sport, this is the endgame, so you have to leave it all out there."