Hall of Famer Jenny Allard Named Pitt Softball Head Coach
6/19/2023 10:00:00 AM | Softball
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced NFCA Hall of Famer Jenny Allard as the fourth head coach in Pitt softball history, Monday morning.
"We are thrilled that Jenny Allard will be our next head softball coach at Pitt," said Lyke. "Not only is she an extraordinary teacher of the game, her proven championship experiences, her work ethic, persistence, confidence and passion for developing young people is evident based on her Hall of Fame career thus far. We are excited to support Coach Allard in this opportunity to build Pitt softball into an ACC and National Championship-caliber program."
Allard comes to Pitt after spending the past 28 seasons at the helm of the Harvard softball program where she was the Ivy League's longest-tenured and winningest softball coach. Allard, who was named to the NFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2022, owns a 688-518-4 overall record, including a 342-130-1 Ivy League mark.
"I am excited to be the next leader of Pitt Softball," said Allard. "I want to thank Heather Lyke and Jennifer Tuscano for this amazing opportunity. Pitt Athletics is on the rise, and I am ready to bring great energy and determination to the softball program. Pitt Softball has hard working student-athletes, the backing of an amazing Athletic Department and University, and support from the larger community of Pittsburgh. Vartabedian Field will be an exciting place to be in the coming years."
During her tenure, Allard led Harvard to nine Ivy League titles, six 30-win seasons and all eight of its NCAA Championship appearances. She coached seven Ivy League Players of the Year, eight Ivy League Pitchers of the Year, seven Ivy League Rookies of the Year, and three All-Americans, as well as 78 first team, 75 second team and 51 honorable mention All-Ivy League selections.
In 2023, Allard led the Crimson to a 29-17-1 overall record and claimed the Ivy League Tournament title to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament Fayetteville Regional. Riley Flynn earned Ivy League Pitcher of the Year honors and 10 players were named to the All-Ivy League teams under her direction.
The Crimson consistently won at a high rate under the direction of Allard, posting winning records in every full season since 2015, while also finishing first or second in the Ivy League. She was twice (2018-19, 2019-20) named The Ragatz Family Harvard Women's Coach of Excellence, an honor awarded to a coach of any Crimson women's team and takes into account one's overall contribution to the athletics department, team performance, student-athlete experience and development, leadership within their sport or at Harvard, and other criteria related to excellence in coaching at Harvard.
The California native started her coaching career at Iowa as an assistant coach under Gayle Blevins. In two seasons in Iowa City, Allard helped the Hawkeyes to a pair of 30-win seasons and an NCAA Championship invitation in 1993. After her second season at Iowa, Harvard tabbed Allard in the fall of 1994 to serve as its fourth head coach in program history.
Allard had a prolific collegiate career at Michigan, playing third base before stepping into the circle to fill a pitching vacancy during her junior season in 1989. She was a four-time All-Big Ten selection (first team – 1987, 1989, 1990; second team – 1988), a two-time First Team Mideast Region pick and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree as a senior.
During the 1989 campaign, Allard was one of the top players in the country, leading the Wolverines in batting average (.351), hits (65) and RBI (29). When she stepped into the pitching circle, Allard was just as dominant, posting a 19-9 record with a 0.75 ERA and 64 strikeouts. Following her performance, Allard was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and to the All-America first team, while being nominated for the Honda Broderick Award. She was also the recipient of the Big Ten's Medal of Honor, an award given to the highest-achieving female student-athlete. Allard finished her time in Ann Arbor ranked in the top four all-time in 15 hitting and pitching categories and graduated from the school in 1990. Two years later, she was named to the Big Ten All-Decade Team.
Allard has been a member of the NFCA for 30 years, serving as an Assistant Coach Representative on the Board during her time at Iowa and holding different positions while at Harvard (Education and Publications Committee Chair, Head Coaches Caucus member). She also served on the NCAA Division I Softball Committee from 2017-20, helping to decide the NCAA Tournament field.
Allard has also earned a master's degree from the Harvard School of Education in 1999 and a master's in psychology from the Harvard Extension School in 2003.
"We are thrilled that Jenny Allard will be our next head softball coach at Pitt," said Lyke. "Not only is she an extraordinary teacher of the game, her proven championship experiences, her work ethic, persistence, confidence and passion for developing young people is evident based on her Hall of Fame career thus far. We are excited to support Coach Allard in this opportunity to build Pitt softball into an ACC and National Championship-caliber program."
Allard comes to Pitt after spending the past 28 seasons at the helm of the Harvard softball program where she was the Ivy League's longest-tenured and winningest softball coach. Allard, who was named to the NFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2022, owns a 688-518-4 overall record, including a 342-130-1 Ivy League mark.
"I am excited to be the next leader of Pitt Softball," said Allard. "I want to thank Heather Lyke and Jennifer Tuscano for this amazing opportunity. Pitt Athletics is on the rise, and I am ready to bring great energy and determination to the softball program. Pitt Softball has hard working student-athletes, the backing of an amazing Athletic Department and University, and support from the larger community of Pittsburgh. Vartabedian Field will be an exciting place to be in the coming years."
During her tenure, Allard led Harvard to nine Ivy League titles, six 30-win seasons and all eight of its NCAA Championship appearances. She coached seven Ivy League Players of the Year, eight Ivy League Pitchers of the Year, seven Ivy League Rookies of the Year, and three All-Americans, as well as 78 first team, 75 second team and 51 honorable mention All-Ivy League selections.
In 2023, Allard led the Crimson to a 29-17-1 overall record and claimed the Ivy League Tournament title to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament Fayetteville Regional. Riley Flynn earned Ivy League Pitcher of the Year honors and 10 players were named to the All-Ivy League teams under her direction.
The Crimson consistently won at a high rate under the direction of Allard, posting winning records in every full season since 2015, while also finishing first or second in the Ivy League. She was twice (2018-19, 2019-20) named The Ragatz Family Harvard Women's Coach of Excellence, an honor awarded to a coach of any Crimson women's team and takes into account one's overall contribution to the athletics department, team performance, student-athlete experience and development, leadership within their sport or at Harvard, and other criteria related to excellence in coaching at Harvard.
The California native started her coaching career at Iowa as an assistant coach under Gayle Blevins. In two seasons in Iowa City, Allard helped the Hawkeyes to a pair of 30-win seasons and an NCAA Championship invitation in 1993. After her second season at Iowa, Harvard tabbed Allard in the fall of 1994 to serve as its fourth head coach in program history.
Allard had a prolific collegiate career at Michigan, playing third base before stepping into the circle to fill a pitching vacancy during her junior season in 1989. She was a four-time All-Big Ten selection (first team – 1987, 1989, 1990; second team – 1988), a two-time First Team Mideast Region pick and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree as a senior.
During the 1989 campaign, Allard was one of the top players in the country, leading the Wolverines in batting average (.351), hits (65) and RBI (29). When she stepped into the pitching circle, Allard was just as dominant, posting a 19-9 record with a 0.75 ERA and 64 strikeouts. Following her performance, Allard was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and to the All-America first team, while being nominated for the Honda Broderick Award. She was also the recipient of the Big Ten's Medal of Honor, an award given to the highest-achieving female student-athlete. Allard finished her time in Ann Arbor ranked in the top four all-time in 15 hitting and pitching categories and graduated from the school in 1990. Two years later, she was named to the Big Ten All-Decade Team.
Allard has been a member of the NFCA for 30 years, serving as an Assistant Coach Representative on the Board during her time at Iowa and holding different positions while at Harvard (Education and Publications Committee Chair, Head Coaches Caucus member). She also served on the NCAA Division I Softball Committee from 2017-20, helping to decide the NCAA Tournament field.
Allard has also earned a master's degree from the Harvard School of Education in 1999 and a master's in psychology from the Harvard Extension School in 2003.
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