Holly Aprile Position: Head Coach Alma Mater: UMass-Amherst, '92

haprile@athletics.pitt.edu

Holly Aprile was named the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh softball team in July, 2008, after serving as an assistant coach the past five seasons with the Panthers. She has worked specifically with the pitchers and catchers over the last four years. During that period, Pitt has seen a number of its pitching records fall, including last season when Cory Berliner became the first rookie and Panther to win 16 games in a season.

Additionally, pitcher Kayla Zinger set the school record with a 1.88 earned run average. Zinger and catcher Sam Card were named to All-Big East teams in their first season working together under Aprile's watch.

With the focus on each pitcher's strength, Aprile guided 2006 graduates Laura Belardinelli and Meghan Bostick to the top of the record books. In addition, Bostick was a Big East Pitcher of the Week following a 2-0 record, 0.00 ERA and 19-strikeout performance during the second week of March.

Aprile joined the Pittsburgh staff after serving nine seasons as an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina. From 1995-2003, Aprile helped guide the Gamecocks to seven NCAA Regional appearances and a College World Series berth in 1997. Prior to her stint at South Carolina, Aprile worked as a graduate assistant coach at Eastern Illinois University in 1994-95.

In 1993, Aprile served as the head softball coach of the Amherst College club team in Amherst, Mass. As an undergraduate, Aprile was an All-America pitcher/outfielder for the University of Massachusetts and helped guide the Minutewomen to four Atlantic 10 titles from 1989-92. She was a four-time All-Atlantc 10 first team selection and three-time A-10 Player of the Year honoree. As a senior, she led UMass to its first trip to the College World Series finishing her career with a then-school record 77 victories. In honor of her achievements, she was inducted into the the UMass Hall of Fame in 2005.

From 1993-99, Aprile was also a participant on the United States National Team, competing in the U.S. Olympic Festival (1993-97), Pan Am Qualifying (1994, 1997) and the South Pacific Classic (1998).

Aprile earned her bachelor's degree in sports management from UMass-Amherst in 1992 and earned her master's degree in political science from Eastern Illinois in 1995.