Former All-American and NCAA Division II national champion Sarah Colletti enters her eighth season as head softball coach at Arcadia University for the 2021-22 year. She is just the second head coach in the NCAA Division III era of the program. Through seven seasons, Colletti owns a 153-97 (.612) overall record and a 61-39 (.610) conference mark.
A two-time MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year, Colletti has coached multiple players to program firsts with her at the helm. In 2017, Jackie Bilotti became the program's first-ever conference player of the year, a feat which she duplicated in 2018 and 2019. Jessica Shotwell '15 earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® honors in 2015, as did Bilotti in 2019. Bilotti also became the first softball player in conference history to win three straight Player of the Year awards in addition to being named Rookie of the Year as a freshman. Bilotti also was a four-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region selection and a 2019 NFCA All-America Second-team selection. Kylee Schwind garnered MAC Commonwealth and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III South Pitcher of the Year laurels in 2017, and Mary Pat Murray was named MAC Pitcher of the Year in 2019. During her tenure, Colletti has coached 18 different players to All-MAC selections (31 total awards).
In 2021, Colletti led the softball team to a 21-12 record with a 14-6 conference mark to claim the third seed in the MAC Freedom Championship Tournament. The Knights swept DeSales University in the opening round of the postseason, before falling to Stevens in a three-game set. Arcadia had seven student-athletes garner all-conference recognition - including Megan Sooy, who was awarded MAC Freedom Co-Rookie of the Year. Sooy joined Alex DeStefano and Juliana Presto as NFCA All-Region selections, while DeStefano was also recognized for her outstanding academics with a selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
Colletti's sixth season at the helm came to an abrupt end due to the MAC's cancellation of athletic contests on March 16, as the Knights played only six games up to that point. Despite the shortened season, senior Mary Pat Murray was named the MAC Softball Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
The 2019 season was a historic season under Colletti as she guided her team to the program's first ever MAC Championship, first ever NCAA Tournament win and the most victories (33) since 2006 when the team tallied 34 wins.
In 2018, the Knights posted a record of 26-14 and qualified for the MAC Commonwealth Championship for the third straight year and earned the No. 1 seed for the first time in program history. The top-seeded Knights advanced all the way to Championship Round, falling to eventual champion Messiah in the finals. Colletti picked up her second Coach of the Year award at the end of the season and had five players earn all-conference recognition, including Player (Bilotti) and Rookie (DeStefano) of the Year honors. Bilotti was also a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, and was named the PhillySIDA Softball Performer of the Year.
Colletti was named MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year in 2017 after leading Arcadia to a 30-13 overall record and a second consecutive appearance in the MAC Commonwealth Championship before claiming the program’s second straight ECAC title. She coached Bilotti to MAC Commonwealth Player of the Year, NFCA All-Region Second-Team and CoSIDA Academic All-District® laurels while guiding freshman Kylee Schwind to MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Year honors; each was selected to the First-Team All-MAC Commonwealth Team while three others also received all-conference honors.
Colletti led Arcadia to a MAC Commonwealth playoff berth in 2016 before claiming the program’s first-ever ECAC title as the Knights finished the season with a 25-19 record. She coached five players to all-conference selections, including Bilotti who was also selected to the NFCA Third-Team All-Region along with being named MAC Commonwealth, ECAC Division III South and Arcadia’s Female Rookie of the Year.
In her first year at the helm of the program, Colletti coached Shotwell to a Second-Team All-MAC Commonwealth selection while also aiding her in becoming the program’s first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-District selection (First-Team) and CoSIDA Academic All-America selection (Third-Team).
Colletti came to Arcadia after leading the softball team at West Chester Henderson High School from 2013 to 2014. In her first season, she led the Warriors to their first league championship in 32 years and was named the Ches-Mont League Coach of the Year. Henderson posted a record of 35-8 in her two seasons as head coach.
Colletti started her coaching career as an assistant at NCAA Division II West Chester University, where she was involved in all facets of the Golden Rams’ program. West Chester went 34-19 in 2011, setting a program record for wins in a season, and advanced to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship. She coached seven All-PSAC East performers, including the 2010 PSAC East Player of the Year.
Colletti also served as head softball hitting instructor at All-Star Baseball Academy from 2011 to 2012, where she planned, coordinated, and executed individual and group lessons for middle school, high school, and collegiate athletes.
A four-year standout third baseman at NCAA Division II Lock Haven University, Colletti earned First-Team All-Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in each of her four collegiate seasons and earned Third-Team NFCA All-America honors as a junior. She helped lead the Eagles to their first-ever national championship in 2006, and led Lock Haven to a second national title in 2009. The four-time First-Team All-PSAC East selection led the Eagles to four consecutive regional and PSAC titles.
The West Chester, Pa., native finished her playing career ranked among the Lock Haven and PSAC career and single-season leaders in numerous offensive categories, and finished as the Eagles’ career leader in hits (232), runs (176), home runs (55), slugging percentage (.619), total bases (439), and at-bats (709).
Colletti earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lock Haven in May 2009. She currently resides in West Chester with her husband, Jason, sons, Nolan and Lucas, and dog, Ribbie.
Updated 8/18/21
