Softball | June 20, 2023

PHILADELPHIA – Christie Novatin, a highly-respected coach with championship experience at the University of Connecticut and in the Ivy League, has been named the University of Pennsylvania's head softball coach. Novatin arrives in University City following four years as the Associate Head Coach at UConn, where she helped lead the Huskies to back-to-back regular-season Big East championships for the first time since 1997.

"We are thrilled to hire one of the rising stars in the softball coaching world in Christie Novatin," Alanna Shanahan, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation said. "She was instrumental in UConn's recent turnaround and has won at every stop during her coaching and playing career. Her energy and leadership came through during our competitive national search and her experience in the Ivy League will be beneficial as she takes over at Penn. We can't wait for her to get started."

Novatin began at UConn in 2019, and with head coach Laura Valentino, they turned around a program that had 10 straight losing seasons into one of the top programs in the region. The Huskies compiled a 110-58 record the past four seasons, including an impressive 51-18 mark in the Big East. The past two seasons, UConn was 72-33 (39-9 Big East) and won the 2022 and 2023 Big East regular-season titles.

"I'm thrilled to be the next head coach for Penn's Softball program," Novatin said. "I want to thank Alanna Shanahan, Kevin Bonner, Josh LaRosa, and their incredible staff for welcoming me to their family. I am ready to connect with the student-athletes through the game we love and support them in their journey to success in the classroom and on the diamond. I believe in the future of Penn Softball and am excited to compete as a Quaker!"

As UConn's hitting coach, Novatin's offense broke team records for most runs scored, RBI, stolen bases and walks during her four years. In 2023, UConn was seventh nationally in stolen bases per game, 17th in on-base percentage, and ranked in the top 50 in batting average and doubles per game. She recruited and developed Big East Freshman of the Year Grace Jenkins and coached players who set program marks in RBI, doubles, walks, total bases, and stolen bases.

Off the field, Novatin was responsible for team travel, equipment, and alumnae engagement while working with the head coach on fundraising for a new softball stadium.

Prior to her time at Connecticut, Novatin was an assistant coach at Princeton where she helped lead the Tigers to a pair of Ivy League championships. During her four years, she increased the team's batting average and slugging percentage. She served as the acting head coach during the fall of 2017, leading all areas of the program.

Novatin also spent two seasons at UAlbany, helping the Great Danes to the 2014 America East championship, and also was an assistant at Rider (2012-13) and Georgian Court (2010-12).

The Farmingdale, N.J. native was a four-year letter winner at Hofstra where her teams won four CAA regular season titles, three CAA Tournament titles, and made three NCAA Regionals under Hall of Fame head coach Bill Edwards. She earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Hofstra in 2010.

What They Are Saying About Christie Novatin             

"I am so excited for Christie and the University of Pennsylvania. The Quakers have made a great hire! Smart, organized, and driven with a clear vision of success, Christie will bring a passion to the game of softball that her student-athletes will find contagious. Her wealth of knowledge and experience, combined with her keen ability to teach it, will provide immediate dividends to the softball student athletes she serves." – Bill Edwards, Hofstra Head Coach (1990-2014), NFCA Hall of Fame

"Congratulations to Christie Novatin and the Penn Softball program. Working alongside my teammate for the past four years has been extremely special, and I couldn't be more proud of her for becoming the next Head Coach of Penn Softball. I know she will be an outstanding leader; full of passion, positivity, and greatness at the University of Pennsylvania. I am confident Christie's championship mindset will flourish in the Ivy League." – Laura Valentino, UConn Head Coach

"Christie Novatin is a rising star in the head coaching profession. She has extensive experience with the most recent being at UConn in the Big East, and a former assistant at Princeton University. Christie understands the values associated with being a great leader, role model, and mentor. I am excited to see Christie continue to grow future leaders at the University of Pennsylvania." - Larissa Anderson, Missouri Head Coach

"Christie is an extremely talented young coach who has been an integral part of the success of all of the programs she has worked for as an assistant. She is versed in all areas of the game and was an amazing young coach to work with while she was at UAlbany. She is now ready to build her own successful program, and I can't wait to watch her do that at Penn." - Chris Cannata, UAlbany Head Coach

"I'm so excited for Christie, the Penn Softball program and the athletic department. Christie brings extensive coaching experience, leadership, knowledge and success to the role. More importantly, she is a person of high character and integrity and will be a transformational coach for her student-athletes both on and off the field. I have no doubt that her infectious enthusiasm and tremendous passion for the game will lead Penn Softball to new heights." – Pat Conlan, Georgetown Head Coach