The University of Hartford has added Kayleigh Lotti to its softball staff as an assistant coach, as announced by Director of Athletics Pat Meiser and Head Coach Todd Randall on Friday.
Lotti, a native of South Attleboro, Mass., will serve as the Hawks' top assistant and pitching coach. She enjoyed an illustrious career at Hofstra University, where she graduated in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. As a four-time letterwinner and starting pitcher, Lotti led the Pride to back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association titles in 2007 and 2008 and three-straight NCAA Regional appearances.
Lotti capped off her career by earning All-CAA and All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team honors for the fourth time in four seasons. She closed out the 2009 campaign with an 18-9 record and a career-best 1.27 ERA, including an 11-0 mark and 0.27 ERA in conference games. The three-time CAA Pitcher of the Year tallied 979 strikeouts in her four-year career, smashing the previous record of 638. Additionally, Lotti's 82 wins and 32 career shutouts both rank second in Hofstra's all-time record book.
“Kayleigh brings a wealth of experience and a skill set to our program that is essential to our success,” commented Randall. “Her background and highly extraordinary playing career prove that a winner, and outstanding individual, is joining the Hartford softball family.”
Prior to her collegiate career, Lotti played four seasons of softball at St. Raphael's Academy in Pawtucket, where she led the team to back-to-back state championships. The two-time Gatorade Rhode Island High School Player of the Year boasted impressive numbers from inside the circle as she compiled 29 career no-hitters, allowing just one run in her final two seasons at St. Raphael's.
Lotti continues to expand her pitching resume as she has recently committed to spend the upcoming summer in Italy, where she will throw for the Fiorini Softball Club Forli in the Italian Professional Softball League. Last season, the Fiorini Softball Club earned the bronze medal at the European Cup in Prague and in 2007, the squad captured the European Cup title.
“Pitching professionally in Italy is a tremendous opportunity for Kayleigh,” said Randall. “We anxiously await her arrival at the end of the season.”
Since 2005, Lotti has served as a professional pitching instructor for the Massachusetts and Rhode Island areas, giving both individual and group pitching lessons. Additionally, she has organized and coached at eight pitching clinics in the New York region for the past five years.
Hartford returns twelve letterwinners and all but three starters from a squad that finished 19-22 overall in the 2009 season with a 9-9 mark in America East conference play.
