Bucknell University Athletics
Janelle Breneman Named Softball Coach At Bucknell University
10/20/2000 8:00:00 AM | Softball
July 31, 2000
LEWISBURG, Pa. -
Janelle Breneman, a 1994 graduate of Bloomsburg University and a former women's professional fastpitch player with the Georgia Pride, has been named head softball coach at Bucknell University, Director of Athletics John Hardt announced.
Breneman succeeds Terrie Grieb, who retired from coaching after guiding the Bison to more than 300 wins over 21 years at the helm of the softball program to take on the role of associate athletic director at Bucknell.
"We are excited to welcome Janelle as the newest member of our department," stated Hardt. "Her experience, as a player in both the collegiate and professional ranks and as the coach at East Stroudsburg, will help bring immediate stability and guidance to our program."
Breneman comes to Bucknell after turning around the softball program at East Stroudsburg. Upon arrival there in 1995, she led the Warriors to their first winning season in four years with a 21-18 mark, and a third place finish in the Eastern Division of the highly competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Last season, her team produced a 21-game turnaround from the 1998 campaign, compiling a 16-21-1 mark. The Warriors placed two players on the All-PSAC and all-regional squads following the season.
Breneman knows success. She was an outstanding player on championship softball teams at Bloomsburg and continues to compete in high-level competition during the summer. She was a member of the Georgia Pride of the Women's Professional Fastpitch Softball League in 1997 and 1998. In 1999, she competed for the Power Play Class 'A' women's fastpitch team out of Lancaster, PA, and helped the team to a berth in the ASA nationals in Springfield, MO.
As an undergraduate at Bloomsburg, Breneman was chosen the NCAA Division II All-America second team shortstop as a senior in 1992. A three-time All-PSAC first team selection and a four-year starter, Breneman set a school and conference record for most games played with 197. She posted a career batting average of .331 with 34 doubles, four triples and 10 home runs. In addition, she drove in 112 runs and scored 145.
Breneman led the Huskies to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Division II Softball Championships in 1991 and to third place finishes in both 1990 and 1992. She played on three PSAC championship teams.
While completing her degree in Adult Health, Breneman began her coaching career as a student assistant to Jan Hutchinson at Bloomsburg. In 1995, she held the head coaching position at her high school alma mater, Ephrata High School, guiding the team to a 16-5 record and berths in both the sectional and divisional playoffs.
Breneman served as the vice president for the PSAC softball coaches' executive committee, and was a member of the ECAC Division II softball committee.
Bucknell sponsors 28 intercollegiate sports, 14 each for men and women, at the Division I level (I-AA in football). It is a charter member of the Patriot League and has won the league's all-sports championship in seven of the ten years it has been contested. Bucknell continually ranks among the top institutions in student-athlete graduation rate in Division I every year, and ranks third in Division I in producing GTE Academic All-Americans.
