After a nearly two month long coaching search, Warde Manuel has named Jen McIntyre the new head coach of UConn Softball.
The UConn job is McIntyre's first ever head coaching job, replacing UConn alum and long time head coach Karen Mullins. In her 31 years as head coach, Mullins amassed 862 wins and is one of less than 50 coaches to win more than 800 games. She also led the Huskies to eight NCAA tournament appearances, including a 1993 regional title that gave the Huskies their only Women's College World Series berth in program history.
McIntyre was a four-year starter at third base for Penn State from 1995-1998. After her playing days, she spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons at Indiana University as a second assistant coach before returning to her alma mater until 2013. She spent last season as Boston University's associate head softball coach, a title she also held during her final three years of coaching at Penn State.
McIntyre has been a part of seven NCAA tournament teams as a coach. Her most recent appearance was last season, when the Terriers won the Patriot League tournament and advanced to NCAA regionals.
A major strength of McIntyre is her ability to recruit and develop talent. 21 of her recruits at Penn State have made the All-Big Ten team at least once, including Cassidy Bell, who in 2013 became the Nittany Lions' first ever All American. She will need to continue to bring in and develop talent in order to help a talented but youthful UConn squad bounce back from a rough 2013 season in which they went 13-38.
Coach McIntyre can be followed on Twitter @CoachJenMac