Kevin Kistler will enter his second year as an assistant softball coach in the upcoming 2014 season.
The 2013 team finished 36-5, doubling the previous program high for wins in a season (18) set in 2008 and 2011. The Nittany Lions hosted the NEAC Tournament after finishing 19-1 in conference play. At the tournament, Berks defeated SUNYIT and then won its first NEAC title after knocking off six-time conference champion Keuka College. The Nittany Lions were then awarded their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament, where they went 0-2 at the Atlantic Regional in Ithaca, N.Y.
The 2013 squad set the single-season team record for batting average (.341), slugging percentage (.455), at-bats (1094), runs scored (316), hits (373), doubles (64), home runs (13), RBI (256), walks (151), ERA (1.65), batting average against (.198), complete games (34), shutouts (18), innings pitched (257.0), and strikeouts (251).
The Nittany Lions had three players named to the All-NEAC First Team and two selected to the second team. In addition, Jess Epler was named NEAC Player of the Year, NFCA All-East Region First Team, and NFCA All-America First Team. Casey Hafer was named the NEAC Tournament MVP.
He joins the Nittany Lion coaching staff after two seasons alongside Frank Keating Jr. and Randy Denlinger at Governor Mifflin. In 2011, he was the head coach of the junior varsity team and helped out with the varsity team, when available. Kistler joined the varsity coaching staff for the 2012 season.
Kistler graduated from Penn State University in 2004 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Chemistry. He currently resides in Fleetwood and works in Emission Control Technologies for Johnson Matthey.
