The softball team has a new head coach in former University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill player Brittany Robinson.
Robinson will replace former Head Coach Tony Ciccarello who exchanged a second year at the helm of the Lady Hawks for the same position at SUNY Fredonia weeks before the start of the season.
“Coach Ciccarello taking another position caught everyone off guard,” Athletic Director Stuart Robinson said. “No one saw this coming or knew this was going to happen during the time it did. The athletic department moved quickly so there was no disruption to the season.”
Third-year Captain Meg Brewer said Ciccarello’s position at New Paltz put him six hours from his family and he wanted to take a job closer to his home.
“It gets discouraging because some teams get lucky and have a coach that’s like a third parent for four years and you get really close and form a relationship,” Brewer said, referring to losing both Ciccarello and former Head Coach Denise Marchese, who Ciccarello replaced, within the last three seasons. “Instead of forming a stronger bond we have a trial every year. We just think it’s hard to play up to your potential when you cant say ‘ok we’re going to pick up where we left off’ because we’re always picking up somewhere new.”
But Stuart Robinson said he is confident Robinson is the right fit for the program.
We made phone calls around the softball community and that brought Brittany to the surface,” Stuart Robinson said. “We are more than satisfied and more than excited over the fact that Brittany will be joining us.”
Brewer said during the team’s meeting with the coaching prospects the players gelled well with Robinson, who previously manned second and third base for the Lady Tar Heels.
“People are pretty excited,” Brewer said. “I think it’ll be a fun season.”