By Becca Miles
Beat Staff
Twitter: @BMiles31
In Nov. 2012, Cabrini College announced that Mitch Kline would be the new coach of the softball team. Kline has had a long-standing history in athletics, especially softball.
Not only has Kline coached softball for years, but has valuable experience as a player. He played baseball in high school, and picked up softball in college.
“I started playing modified fastpitch softball while I was at Penn State and continued after graduating,” Kline said. “A buddy of mine suggested that I try playing fastpitch on his team, and I fell in love with the game.”
Kline had the chance to play with and against some of the best male softball players in the country. He played in the Philadelphia Majors for close to 25 years and had the chance to play on three USA men’s fastpitch teams. Kline also participates in the Maccabiah Games, and his team earned gold medals in 1985 and 1989.
Coach Kline had been to Cabrini before he started coaching the Cavs. When he coached field hockey while teaching in the Philadelphia school system, one of his players came to play for the Cavs upon graduation.
“I really enjoyed the family-type atmosphere at the games, as well as the tremendous family and student support at every game,” said Kline. “I always went home after the games thinking that it would be wonderful school in which to teach and coach, never thinking that I would one day be afforded the same opportunity.”
In 2012, Kline was adopted into the Cabrini Athletics family. Though Kline is only a part-time coach, he can always be found in the Dixon Center.
“One of the many special qualities of Cabrini is that it is a very accepting community,” Kline said. “As the new kid on the block last year, everyone in the athletic department was so helpful to me. Everyone went out of his or her way to answer all of my questions, as well as offer a lot of very sound advice.
“In addition, I was also very fortunate to have the help of our two great assistant coaches, Hilary Tutrani and Sammy Thompson.”
“I think Mitch has improved the structure and overall foundation of our program significantly though recruiting and his dedication to build a strong program,” assistant coach Hilary Tutrani said. “I think it is extremely hard to come in as a new coach and make large impacts on a program. I think it took time for everyone to buy into his coaching style, but things started to click and big things will happen this year.”
Kline adopted an 11-11 team in conference play. He improved the team to 14-9 in conference play in his first season. This year, he’s added nine freshmen to the squad. He retains two offensive leaders — junior Stephanie Diegel and sophomore Kaitlyn Cooper.
“We have a solid team returning this year and with Mitch’s guidance, the freshmen will help us even more,” Diegel said. “I’m excited to see what will happen this season.”
“It is hard to predict how the 2014 season will play out, but from the core of players returning from last year’s team, and the addition of our freshman class, I am very excited about the possibilities for our team,” Kline said.
“Our team has worked very hard during the fall, and I am confident that we will continue to work hard when practice begins on Jan. 27th. As long as we continue this sound work ethic and build upon the strong foundation we started in the fall, our team and our program will continue to move onward and upward not only this coming season, but in the many seasons ahead.”
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