Courtesy: Dana Funyak, athletic communications assistant (Photo Courtesy of Penn Athletics)
PHILADELPHIA — University of Pennsylvania Head Softball Coach Leslie King announced the newest addition to the coaching staff — 2011 Penn graduate Alisha Prystowsky. Primarily serving as a hitting and catching instructor, Prystowsky joins King and assistant coach Danielle Gonzales for the 2014 season, during which Penn hopes to defend its Ivy League championship from last year.
“It’s great to have one of Penn Softball’s most decorated players back with the program,” said King, who enters her 11th season at the helm. “Alisha knows Penn and understands our student-athletes.”
Prior to her appointment at Penn, Prystowsky was a member of the Virginia Bandits, a semi-professional softball team based in Hamilton, Va. Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s in Public Health from Rutgers University and is expected to graduate in May.
At Penn, Prystowsky was a three-time first-team All-Ivy selection and earned second-team All-Ivy recognition in 2010. A co-captain her senior year, Prystowksy is one of just four players to earn All-Ivy each of her four years at Penn, and one of only two players to make first or second team in those years.
When she graduated, Prystowsky left as the program’s all-time leader in RBI and doubles. Her RBI record (108) has since been broken — by Brooke Coloma (123) last year – but she still holds the doubles record at 47.
Prystowsky also ranks second all-time in hits (171), runs (122) and triples (8). To go along with her fifth-best career batting average (.350), Prystowsky recorded 18 home runs, which is third-best in the program.
After coaching the Quakers to their first-ever NCAA postseason appearance last season, King is looking forward to watching one of her former standouts come aboard and develop the catchers and hitters.
“Alisha adds a lot of energy to practices and games,” King said. “Her passion for the game as well as her work ethic is contagious.”
