MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College Department of Athletics has announced the departure of the winningest coach in Hawks' softball history,
Jill Gagnon, after 12 seasons at the helm of the program.
"Jill leaves an extraordinary legacy at Saint Anselm," said Interim Director of Athletics
Phil Rowe. "Her leadership, competitive spirit, and deep care for our student-athletes elevated this program to unprecedented heights. We are profoundly grateful for all she has given to the Hilltop, and we wish her every success as she returns to her alma mater."
Gagnon's record on the Hilltop sits at 316-176-2 (.642) with a Northeast 10 Conference record of 181-82-2 (.688). She was hired as the eighth head coach in program history ahead of the 2014 season and went on to post a winning record in 11 of her 12 seasons leading the Hawks.
The 2018 and 2019 NE10 Coach of the Year also led the program to nine NE10 postseason appearances as well as seven NCAA Division II Softball Championship appearances. Gagnon guided the Hawks to their first National Championship in 2018, with Saint Anselm finishing as National Runner-Up. Gagnon's coaching staffs were awarded NFCA East Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2018 and 2021.
Gagnon and the Hawks won three NE10 Championships (2019, 2021, 2024) and were crowned East Region Champions twice (2018, 2021), both firsts for the program. Before Gagnon's arrival, Saint Anselm had just one NCAA tournament appearance in 2002, and the Hawks had never reached the NE10 finals.
The Hawks reached its first No. 1 ranking in the country in the NFCA Division II National Poll, the same year Saint Anselm reached the DII National Championship. In 12 seasons, Gagnon coached 66 NE10 All-Conference selections, including the NE10 Defensive Player of the Year in Kylie Fitzpatrick (2019 & 2021), the NE10 Pitcher of the Year in Morgan Perry (2019 & 2021), and the NE10 Player of the Year in Bre Klaiber in 2021.
Klaiber also won the D2CCA East Region Player of the Year award in 2021, and Perry was named the D2CCA East Region Pitcher of the Year in the same year. Perry also became the first Hawk to earn NFCA All-America Honors, making the First Team in 2021.
Gagnon's teachings on the field also translated to the classroom as nine different Hawks earned NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete awards, and
Ava Caputo, '24, earned the NE10's Elite 24 Award twice, given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average (GPA) participating at the finals site at each NE10 Championship.
Gagnon departs the Hilltop for her alma mater, returning to Merrimack College in the same capacity. Gagnon graduated from Merrimack in 2009 and still maintains her name in the record books in North Andover, Mass., ranking fifth in single-season strikeouts with 150 in '09 while ranking eighth in career strikeouts by a Warriors pitcher with 264.
Saint Anselm College will begin a nationwide search to find its next head coach of the softball program.
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