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Seven-Time Freedom Conference Champions: 2000-through-2005, 2007 |
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Eight Straight NCAA Division III National Tournament Berths: 2000-through-2007 |
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| LIVE STATS - King's Softball | |
King's College - 2007 Freedom Conference Softball Champions
The King's College softball program stands as one of the premier programs in the Middle
Atlantic Conferences while making its name on both the regional and national levels thanks in large part to the efforts of head coach Lisa Gigliello and her staff.
The Lady Monarchs had always been a competitive program, but began their climb to the elite when Gigliello took over in 1994 and instilled a winning attitude personified by dedication and hard work.
That dedication has resulted in seven Freedom Conference championships since 2000 and eight straight berths into the NCAA Division III National Tournament. Simply put, King's College Softball has been the dominant program in the Freedom Conference and expectations of both the players and coaching staff are extremely high each season.
In 1996, King's earned its first-ever post-season playoff berth when the team advanced to the Middle Atlantic Conference Tournament "Final Four". In 1997, the Lady Monarchs continued their improvement and reached their first-ever 20-win campaign. After another 20-plus win campaign in 1998, the King's made history by winning its first post-season championship ever when the Lady Monarchs captured the 1999 Eastern College Athletic Conference Southern Region championship.
In 2000, King's again reached uncharted waters as the Lady Monarchs concluded their finest season ever by winning the MAC Freedom League championship and MAC overall title, while reaching the NCAA Division III National Tournament for the first time in school history. King's was also selected to host the NCAA Regional Championships at Betzler Fields. The Lady Monarchs amassed a school-record 38-6 mark that season as Gigliello was named MAC Freedom "Coach of the Year."
Since then, King's has dominated the Freedom Conference, winning six straight titles from 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. The Lady Monarchs finished second in the 2006 conference tournament en route to an outstanding 38-9 campaign in which the team earned its seventh straight berth into the NCAA Division III National Tournament. In 2007, King's finished 34-9 and was again crowned as the Freedom Conference champion for the seventh time and added an eighth consecutive Division III National Tournament berth to its already impressive ledger.
Since the 1997 season, King's has gone 336-111-2 and has posted at least 20 wins every season since. Since Coach Gigliello took over the program in 1994, a total of 71 Lady Monarch players have been named to the MAC Freedom Conference All-Star Team; 31 others have been named NCAA East Regional All-Americans; while a host of student-athletes have been named to the MAC All-Academic team as well as the NFCA Scholar-Athlete team.
In 2004, Maria Zangardi was named a first-team selection to the prestigious College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American squad. She was also named a second-team NFCA All-American player. In 2006, junior Mari Valonis was honored as a third-team NFCA All-American and was twice selected to the ESPN The Magazine District II All-Academic Team..
The Lady Monarchs traditionally play a 30-plus game schedule with an annual spring trip to Florida as well as an additional early-season tournament in Maryland. The team prepares for its season with an ambitious fall campaign as the team practices and competes in a series of games and tournaments.
The Lady Monarchs play their games at Robert L., Betzler Fields, King's 33-acre athletic complex.
Check out more action pictures of King's Softball by going to the team Photo Gallery section.
King's College
133 North River Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
1 (888) KINGS PA
Questions or comments to: Bob Ziadie, King's College Sports Information Director
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