University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Dani Gonzales was named the Interim Head Coach in January of 2023, following the retirement of Leslie King. She was originally hired as an assistant coach with the program prior to the 2013 season and was promoted to Associate Head Coach in September 2021. As the program’s top assistant throughout her tenure, Gonzales has served a critical role in the development of Penn softball while working with Head Coach Leslie King.

During Dani's coaching career at Penn, the Quakers have earned 47 All-Ivy honors, three Ivy League Rookie of the Year awards (Leah Allen in 2014, Jurie Joyner in 2015, Emma Nedley in 2019), and one Ivy League Player of the Year honor (Leah Allen in 2017).

Gonzales made her way to Penn via fellow Big 5 school Saint Joseph’s, where she spent seven years, first as a standout student-athlete and then as a coach. From 2010-12, Gonzales served as an assistant coach with the Hawks. She helped coach the Hawks to two consecutive Atlantic 10 Tournament berths, an A-10 title game appearance, and its first 30-win season since 2002.

Prior to coaching, Gonzales was a member of the Saint Joseph’s softball program from 2005-09 where she was a mainstay in the circle. In addition to being captain of the team her senior season, she was a two-time A-10 All-Conference performer (2008, 2009), she was named as the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2007, named to the A-10 All-Tournament Team in 2009 and was a three-time A-10 Athlete of the Week honoree.

A native of Litchfield Park, Arizona, Gonzales graduated from Saint Joseph’s in 2009 with a degree in sports and entertainment marketing, then again in 2012 with a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and marketing.