A Legacy of Excellence: The History of Ithaca College Softball
Ithaca College's softball program boasts a rich history filled with remarkable achievements, dedicated coaches, and talented athletes. From its early beginnings to its national championship victory and consistent NCAA tournament appearances, the program has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in Division III softball.
Early Years and Growth
The Ithaca College softball program began in 1969, with the Bombers posting a 3-3 record under head coach Jean Lewis in their initial season. In 1970, Doris Kostrinsky took over the program and guided Ithaca to prominence during her 17 seasons. Under Kostrinsky, Ithaca was an annual contender for postseason play. Early playoff opportunities were limited to the New York State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NYSAIAW) tournament. The Bombers won titles in 1972 and 1975 and finished second three times. In 1982, the team made an appearance at the AIAW Division II national tournament and finished ninth.
Standout performers like pitchers Jo Burruby and Vicki Scott were among Ithaca’s early leaders. Offensive standouts included Monique Echternach and Nancy Kleinsmith. Ithaca’s first softball all-Americans were recognized in 1985 when Carol Buckheit and Mildred Piscopo received first-team honors. Piscopo, a catcher and third baseman, set eight school records, including most career hits (124), doubles (27), triples (16) and RBIs (70). Her mark for triples still stands. Pitcher Kathy Volpi set five school records from 1984-87, including most career victories (37).
The Jane Jacobs Era
Jane Jacobs took over as coach in 1987 and led the team to a 20-11 record and an NCAA playoff berth. Her 1988 team finished 17-12.
The Deb Pallozzi Dynasty
In 1996, the Bombers reached the Division III championship for the first time since 1983. After losing the opening game of the regional playoffs, Ithaca won four straight to earn a spot in the six-team NCAA championship. In 1997, Ithaca again lost its opening playoff game, then won three in a row. A 5-3 loss to host Wheaton (Mass.) ended the season. The 1999 team swept through the regional playoffs and earned the program’s third trip to nationals. In 2000, the Bombers dropped an early game to Salisbury State, then defeated them in back-to-back games to advance to nationals.
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The program experienced unparalleled success under head coach Deb Pallozzi, who guided the Bombers to an 886-412-2 record during her remarkable 31-year career. Pallozzi's tenure was marked by 30 consecutive winning seasons, a testament to her leadership and the team's consistent performance. Her 1991 and 1992 teams posted back-to-back 20-win seasons, an accomplishment topped by 10 straight 25-win seasons from 1994 to 2003. Each of those seasons resulted in an NCAA playoff appearance. Ithaca was the NCAA northeast region runner-up in 1994, 1995 and 1997 and won the regional title in 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001.
National Championship and Continued Success
In 2002, the Bombers defeated King’s (Pa.) and Geneseo to open up regional play undefeated. The tournament was called due to a torrential rainstorm and as the only undefeated team Ithaca received the bid to nationals. At nationals the team won its first three games to advance to the national championship game. Lake Forest defeated the Bombers, 4-2, to force a second championship game. The Bombers' hard work and determination culminated in 2002 when they captured their first national championship, solidifying their place among the elite softball programs in the nation. In 2005 another regional title put the Bombers back in the finals, where they finished fourth. Ithaca won NCAA Regionals in 2008, 2010 and made it to Super Regionals in 2016 in Ithaca.
Ithaca has made 11 appearances in the NCAA Division III World Series, including nine World Series trips in the last 25 years. The Bombers lead the nation with 29 all-time NCAA Division III Tournament appearances.
Individual Standouts and Accolades
Pallozzi coached several outstanding performers. First baseman Amy Bannon was selected twice to the academic all-district team. After transferring to Ithaca from the junior college ranks, pitcher Stacy Johnson set school records for career strikeouts (191), season wins (17) and season strikeouts (112). Johnson posted a 31-8 record and a 1.43 ERA for her career. Nancy Liskiewicz, a four-year starter at shortstop, set the Bomber record for assists (346). Outfielder Kim Lamoureaux set career records for RBIs (87) and hits (147). Infielder Jen Blum set school records for games played (152), career RBIs (96) and career runs (98). Margo McGowan, a first-team academic all-American, hit .335 for her career. In 2001 first baseman Laura Remia was named the Division III Honda Player of the Year and set the NCAA career home run record with 49 (topping the old record of 44). Remia’s name is all over the Bomber record books, ranking second in career batting average (.420) and first in career RBIs (187), hits (221) and runs (168). In 2002 catcher Kristin Furdon received her second all-America selection (her first was in 2000). Kaitlyn Dulac earned NFCA Third-Team All-American honors in 2006 after batting .496 and driving in 42 runs in just 37 games. First-Team NFCA All-Americans Hannah Shalett and Nicole Cade led the Bombers back to the NCAA Tournament in 2007 as the team posted a 35-9 record. Shalett was named NCAA Division III Catcher of the Year that season.
Recent Years and New Leadership
Following three seasons as an assistant, Kelly Robichaud '16 stepped in as interim head coach of the softball program for the 2022-23 academic year. She led the Bombers to a 25-10-1 regular season record and 10-4 mark within the Liberty League, which qualified them as the No. 3 seed in the Liberty League Tournament where they finished as runner-up. Ithaca finished the season with a 27-12-1 overall record, which also saw six members of the squad earn All-Liberty League and Anna Cornell earned NFCA Second Team All-Region, while fellow hurler Riley Piromalli garnered Third Team recognition. The 2024 campaign saw the latest CSC Academic All-American in Haley Petrucci as she earned Third Team honors.
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In 2020, IC Hall of Famer Hannah Quintana '07 was hired to replace Deb Pallozzi, who retired after a 31-year career at Ithaca. Quintana was a member of the college’s softball team for all four years of college. “This campus is my favorite place in the world,” she said. “It feels fantastic to be home. Under former head coach Deb Pallozzi, Quintana majorly contributed to the success of the softball program as an athlete. While she was at the college, the team made four trips to the regional tournament and made two appearances at the NCAA College World Series.
In Quintana's first year, the Bombers finished 2-8, before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the nation. The Bombers recovered from the 2020 season very well, posting a 25-8 record in year two under Quintana in 2021. Ithaca concluded the 2022 season with a 21-17 record and for the second-straight year they earned the No. 2 seed in the Liberty League Championship tournament. Quintana said she plans to make some technical tweaks to the team’s game, such as transitioning the offensive philosophy from bunting and short-game techniques to more powerful hitting numbers. “I think what Coach Pallozzi built was such a great legacy and had great consistency,” she said. Hannah Quintana ’07 joins the Ithaca College Athletics Department as the new head softball coach. “It’s about family,” Quintana said. Senior Abby Shields said Pallozzi instilled a philosophy in the team that was built off of the Bombers having one another’s backs. “Our team is really excited and really ready for new changes in all of the things that Coach Q has to teach us,” Shields said.
The Valesente Legacy
The Ithaca College athletic legacy extends beyond the softball field, with families like the Valesentes making significant contributions across different sports. While Dave played baseball for Division I Saint Joseph’s University, his father, George ’66, is one of the best-known figures in the college’s athletic history. The American Baseball Coaches Association Hall-of-Fame baseball coach and alumnus retired in August after 41 seasons. He led the Bombers to 35 NCAA appearances and 17 Empire 8 Conference championships out of the last 20 seasons that they were part of the conference. Dave has spent the past three years as head baseball coach at Wells College in Aurora, New York. He was the first-ever head baseball coach at Wells and built the program from the ground up. “I want it to be known that it wasn’t passed down,” Dave said. “It’s not something that [my dad] gave me. It was something that, in my opinion, I earned from my experiences, and I went through a challenging interview process here. “It’s tough losing a leader, really, with Val Sr.,” Lynch said. “I think it’s pretty unique that a program can have that legacy built up over such a long time,” Lynch said.
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