University of Delaware Athletics
Softball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- softball@udel.edu
Jen Steele is in her ninth season as the University of Delaware softball head coach during the 2027 season, and has engineered an impressive turnaround of the Blue Hens' program.
In Delaware's first season in Conference USA, UD went 31–24 overall and 17–10 in league play, reaching 30 wins for a third consecutive season for the first time in program history. The season was highlighted by an 11-game winning streak in April, the fourth winning streak of at least 10 games over the last three seasons. Delaware set single-season program records for walks (201), hit by pitches (44), home wins (22), and runs scored in a conference tournament game (11 vs. New Mexico State on May 6). The team also recorded its second-most runs (274), home runs (55), on-base percentage (.382), and run-rule victories (8) in a season. Additionally, Delaware posted the fourth-most total bases (618) and extra-base hits (116), along with the sixth-most stolen bases (62), slugging percentage (.443), and strikeouts by the pitching staff (260), while totaling the program’s eighth-most hits (387). Delaware’s 12-game home winning streak from March 21 to May 1 was the second-longest in program history, while its nine-game conference winning streak from April 2–18 ranked as the fourth-longest in a single season. The Blue Hens also hit at least 40 home runs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history. On Feb. 20, Delaware defeated Maryland, 5-2, and Ohio State, 2-0, the second time in program history Delaware has won multiple games against a Big Ten opponent in the same season and the third time it has recorded multiple wins over a power conference opponent in one season. On March 28 against Liberty, Delaware earned a 12–3 win in six innings, marking the most runs allowed by Liberty in a conference game since March 31, 2015, and the most allowed by the Flames in a Conference USA game to that point. Delaware became the first team to defeat Liberty by at least nine runs in a conference game since Radford on March 25, 2017. UD also excelled in postseason recognition. Sydney Shaffer, Maddie Diamond, and Allie Nankivell were named First Team All-Conference USA, while Katie Scheivert and Josie Crossman earned Second Team honors. Karli Challburg, Diamond, and Nankivell were selected to the CUSA All-Freshman Team. Delaware’s eight total selections were the most among all CUSA programs. Shaffer and Crossman were also named All-Region selections, marking the sixth consecutive season Delaware has had multiple honorees. Shaffer became the first player in program history to earn First Team All-Region honors at catcher, the fourth player to earn multiple First Team All-Region selections in a career, and the third Delaware player to be named All-Region at two different positions. Crossman became the eighth pitcher in program history to earn All-Region recognition and the fourth sophomore or younger to be honored after receiving Third Team distinction. Off the field, Katie Scheivert was named Delaware’s prestigious Mary Ann Hitchens Award winner and earned the Conference USA Spring Spirit of Service Award. Scheivert, Crossman, Bridget Chapman, Kylie Wilkerson, and Claire Woods were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team. Capaldi, Chapman, Crossman, Scheivert, Shaffer, Allie Nankivell, Caylin Blazys, Gabriella Pudimott, Gianna Poletti, Grace Hausamann, and Kylie Wilkerson were all recognized as NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes.
Delaware orchestrated a historic 2025 season, the 50th season in program history. The Blue Hens went 38-16 and 23-4 in CAA play to win the CAA regular season title. Along the way, UD set over 40 program records, including conference wins in a season (23), conference wins in CAA history (23), hits (461), doubles (96), home runs (57), RBIs (304), runs scored (336), total bases (748), on base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.519), extra base hits (163), run-rule victories (17), strikeouts (347), shutouts, tied (18), runs scored in a conference game (19 vs Towson, May 1), runs scored in a conference opener (14 vs Drexel, March 7), largest margin of victory in a conference game (19-0 vs Towson, May 1), consecutive conference wins (13), consecutive road wins in a season (9), consecutive victories by run-rule (5), consecutive games scoring at least one run (55), consecutive shutouts pitched, tied (5), and consecutive conference games with double-digit runs (3). Sydney Shaffer was named CAA Player of the Year, Billie Kerwood was named CAA and ECAC Pitcher of the Year, and Mary Beth Cahalan was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year as Delaware had eight conference postseason honors between First, Second, and All-Rookie selections. The eight postseason honors and six players selected on first and second-team were program records. Shaffer, Kerwood, and Morgan Hess were First-Team All-Region selections, the most First-Team All-Region selections in program history and Cahalan was a Third-Team selection. The four All-Region honors tied a program record. Delaware also had a program record 13 conference weekly honors. Shaffer and Hess became the second and third Academic All Americans in program history and first since 1998, while Shaffer was the program's first First-Team selection. On Feb. 7, UD defeated Michigan 8-2 - Delaware's first ever win against a ranked opponent. The Blue Hens also became the first school in CAA history with two consecutive seasons of at least 20 conference wins, and it was the first time in program history UD had at least 35 wins in back-to-back seasons. Delaware lead the conference in runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage, ERA, shutouts, strikeouts, and BAA.Â
In 2024, Delaware set program records for wins in a season (39) and conference wins in a season (21) while tying their program record for longest win streak (13) and longest conference win streak (10). The Blue Hens also had seven players earn All-Conference honors, with three players named to First-Team All-CAA, two named to the Second-Team, and two All-Rookie selections. The five players named to All-Conference teams tied a program record, also done on in 1984, 2004, 2022, and 2023. Delaware also tied a program record for All-Region selections with four, also done in 2022 and 2023. The team also set program records in doubles (84), double plays turned (24), and scored their second most runs (259) and had their second most shutouts (13). Delaware also lead the CAA in in average (.297), on base percentage (.374), slugging percentage (.446), runs scored, doubles, total bases (622), ERA (1.98), runs allowed (144), home runs allowed (11),  and were in the top three in hits (410), triples (16), home runs (31), walks (162), shutouts, batting average against (.225), hits allowed (302), and walks allowed (114). Julz Garber also became the first outfielder in conference history to be named CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Delaware's third straight conference Defensive Player of the Year award.
In 2023 the Blue Hens won their second-straight CAA Regular Season Championship and Steele brought home the second-straight CAA Coach of the Year. The Hens finished with a 29-20 overall record and an 18-5 conference mark, which was a program record for wins in the CAA. Emily Winburn became Delaware’s first-ever CAA Pitcher of the Year while Kiara Mills became the second Blue Hen in as many years to take home CAA Defensive Player of the Year honors. Six Blue Hens garnered All-CAA honors while four were recognized on NFCA All-Region teams, tying the program record.
Delaware won its first-ever CAA Regular Season Championship in 2022, putting together an overall record of 29-16 and 11-4 in conference play. Steele was named the CAA Coach of the Year while Hanna Garber became the program’s first CAA Defensive Player of the Year in her first year at third base. Garber, Brittney Mendoza and Emily Winburn all earned All-CAA First Team honors, while Julz Garber and Graceyn Frost were both named to the second team. A program-record four Blue Hens were selected to all-region teams.Â
The Blue Hens went 25-9 in 2021 and advanced to the CAA Tournament finals for the first time since 2004. Delaware finished with an RPI of 23, while its three all-region selections were a program record at the time. UD’s six All-CAA honorees are the most since UD joined the league.
Delaware went 19-4 during the shortened 2020 season, tied for the best start in program history, while the Blue Hens’ improvement of 98 spots in the RPI was the 13th highest in Division I.
Delaware posted a 10-game winning streak, the third longest in school history, and ended the year by winning seven games in a row. The Blue Hens led the CAA in multiple statistical categories including winning percentage, hits, doubles, triples, stolen bases, saves, wins, ERA, strikeout to walk ratio, caught stealing and runners picked off. Additionally, Delaware ranked 10th in the nation in doubles and steals per game.
During Steele’s first season the Blue Hens stole 91 bases, the second most in a UD single season. They ranked 23rd in the country in steals and 29th in triples, leading the CAA in both categories.
Prior to arriving in Newark, Steele spent the 2018 season as the head coach at Marshall, where she led the Thundering Herd to a third place finish in the east division of Conference USA. Marshall featured two All-Region selections and the league’s Freshman of the Year during Steele’s season in Huntington.
Steele served as Jacksonville head coach from 2015 through 2017, making an eight-win improvement while leading the Dolphins to an appearance in the Atlantic Sun Tournament during her first season. During her final year the Dolphins won 30 games and finished ninth in the country with 113 stolen bases. During her Jacksonville tenure, 10 players were named All-Conference and five received ASUN All-Academic honors.
Steele has also served as assistant coach at George Mason and Longwood during her coaching career.
Steele was a four-year member of the Longwood softball team from 2002-05, helping lead the squad to a 143-53 record during her career. She was named the 2002 Carolinas-Virginia Conference Freshman of the Year and the 2005 Division I All-Independent Pitcher of the Year. A two-time All-CVAC selection, she finished with 73 wins, 652.2 innings pitched, 409 strikeouts and a 1.75 ERA in the circle while batting .324 at the plate with 129 RBI and 112 runs scored.
A native of Manassas Park, Va., Steele earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from Longwood in 2005 and went on to earn a Master’s of Science in exercise and sport studies from Smith College in 2007.
