Pitt announced that athletic director Heather Lyke made a coaching change in the softball program on Monday, relieving head coach Jodi Hermanek of her duties.
Hermanek joined on as head coach in August 2018, taking on after former head coach Holly Aprile took the job at Louisville.
Unlike Aprile, who led the Panthers to the ACC Tournament Final in 2018 and to the NCAA Tournament in 2015, Hermanek struggled throughout her tenure these past five seasons. She accrued an overall record of 76-134 (0.36) and a 29-82 (0.26) record in the ACC and never had one winning season.
“On behalf of the entire Pitt Athletics department, I want to express my deepest appreciation to Coach Hermanek for her dedication and efforts leading the Pitt softball program,” Lyke said in a statement issued following the coaching change. “We wish Jodi the very best in her future pursuits. We will conduct the search for our next head coach immediately and I expect the opportunity to attract national interest.”
This is the third head coaching change for Pitt Athletics this spring. Lyke fired women’s basketball head coach Lance White after five seasons in charge (2018-23) and gymnastics head coach Samantha Snider, her first hire in 2017, after six seasons at the helm (2018-23), both of whom had poor tenures at Pitt. She hired UMass head coach Tory Verdi in place of White and Missouri associate head coach Casey Jo MacPherson in place of Snider in April.
Once again (and finally), A winning culture being demanded by Pitt. Love the culture change.
Pitt softball has been a major disaster the last 5 years. With all the softball talent around this area how could this happen. Maybe now Lyke will take this sport seriously with some dollars. Please rinse and repeat with the disappointment of Pitt baseball.