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Michelle Wiley
Michelle Wiley begins her fifth season as Gannon’s head softball coach in 2023. In addition, this is her 13th season as a member of the Gannon coaching staff after previously serving as an assistant coach under head coach Tom Jakubowski. Wiley also plays a key role with the Gannon student-athletes’ academic success as the Coordinator of Academic Support.
After enjoying a highly successful run as Gannon’s pitching coach for seven years she assumed the head coaching position in 2019. That success has continued as she shows an 86-57 record in her first four seasons at the helm, including the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign. Her teams are 47-21 in PSAC action and have qualified for the PSAC Tournament all three years the postseason tournament has been held.
The 2022 season was greatly impacted by the weather that can grip northwestern Pennsylvania. The Golden Knights were able to play ten games during the annual Florida trip, going 5-5 as the bats came alive later in the trip.
When they returned north weather forced the postponement of seven of the team’s nine non-conference doubleheaders. Wiley was able to guide the Golden Knights to a 10-6 record in the PSAC West despite playing sporadically at times. That was good for the fourth seed in the Western Division in the PSAC Tournament.
Unfortunately the end of the season saw Gannon play five doubleheaders in the span of nine days to make up games. A weary squad would drop its final four games heading into the PSAC Tournament.
Gannon opened its third tournament appearance under Wiley with a 4-2 loss to East Stroudsburg. The Golden Knights eliminated top-seeded California (Pa.) 3-2 the next day behind a pitching gem by Kennedy DeMatteis, but were eliminated by Shippensburg, the second seed in the Eastern Division, 6-5 in eight innings.
Third baseman Kristina DeMatteis earned All-PSAC West honors for the third time and was joined on the first team by second baseman Nicole Bush. Kennedy DeMatteis was a second-team honoree at pitcher while Katie Sidare was chosen to the second team at utility/non-pitcher.
Gannon’s 2021 squad finished with a 28-15 record and went 23-9 in the PSAC West, claiming the second seed in the division. Four Golden Knights earned first team All-PSAC West honors -- Kristina DeMatteis (catcher), Kennedy DeMatteis (pitcher), Maria Taliani (outfield), and Kaity Stocker (designated player). Rebecca Tatone was a second-team selection at pitcher.
The Golden Knights were unable to make a southern trip due to the pandemic and opened the season with their first PSAC contest. After a slow start the Golden Knights ran off nine straight wins and 12 wins in 13 games. They closed the year with four wins in their final five games heading into the PSAC Tournament.
The 2021 PSAC Tournament featured a different format with Gannon, the second seed in the PSAC West, facing third-seed California (Pa.) in a quarterfinal best-of-three. The Golden Knights swept the Vulcans 2-1 and 9-4 to advance to the semifinals against Western Division top seed Seton Hill. Gannon won the first game 8-6 but were eliminated with 6-1 and 4-1 losses.
In 2020, Wiley led the Knights to a 9-8 overall finish before action was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To start the season, Gannon headed to the Cottrell Foundation Loyal Blue Classic hosted by North Georgia. Following the season opening tournament, Gannon went to the Spring Games in Florida where the Knights faced 10 opponents over five days of competition. The Golden Knights closed the Spring Games on a four-game winning streak with victories over Holy Family, University of the Sciences, No. 22 Charleston (WV), and Fairmont State.
Wiley and the Knights returned home on March 12 for Gannon's home opener vs. Clarion. Gannon took game one of the doubleheader 10-0 in five innings before dropping the final game of the year. The season ended following the doubleheader before the Golden Knights could get into conference play.
Wiley’s reign as head coach got off to an impressive start as she led Gannon to a 30-16 overall finish with a 14-6 finish in PSAC play to secure the regular season championship and a No. 1 seed in the PSAC Tournament.
Gannon downed Mansfield 11-1 in five innings to kick off PSAC Tournament action. The Golden Knights suffered a 4-2 loss in game two vs. Lock Haven, but went on to beat Seton Hill (5-4), West Chester (8-7), and Kutztown (3-1) to advance to the championship game.
Needing two wins over Lock Haven to be crowned champion, Gannon beat Lock Haven 7-5 to force a tie-breaker between the teams. The Bald Eagles edged Gannon 6-4 for the championship. The Golden Knights moved on to the NCAA Atlantic Regional where their season ended after falling to West Chester and West Virginia State.
Wiley was selected the 2019 PSAC West Coach of the Year, with Madi Beining being named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year and Megan Dietrick the PSAC West Freshman of the Year. Eight players earned All-PSAC honors. Shortstop Sarah Ingerick was a D2CCA honorable mention All-American selection along with earning NFCA All-Atlantic Region and D2CCA All-Region accolades.
The Golden Knights were also standouts in the classroom with three players accorded Google Cloud Academic All-District recognition, plus 16 NFCA All-America Scholar Athletes. The 2019 squad also posted the seventh best team GPA (3.656) in the NFCA.
Later in the summer of 2019 Wiley was named one of three recipients of the Mary Nutter Scholarship. The scholarship is given to three coaches annually by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The Mary Nutter Scholarship is an educational grant named after the former Pittsburg State (Kan.) head coach and 1997 NFCA Hall of Fame Inductee who founded National Sports Clinics.
In 2018, Wiley helped the Knights win their second consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division title and first-ever PSAC Tournament championship while advancing to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.
Wiley's pitchers ranked third among PSAC staffs in earned run average (2.32) and fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.87) during the championship run. The Golden Knights' team ERA finished 34th among all NCAA Division II programs. In addition to being named PSAC Western Division Pitcher of the Year, Beining also secured spots on the All-PSAC West first team and D2CCA All-Atlantic Region second team.
Wiley has tutored numerous all-conference pitchers during her tenure as pitching coach, including PSAC Western Division Pitcher of the Year Olivia Gumbita in 2017. Gumbita finished her career fifth all-time at Gannon in strikeouts (483), seventh in innings pitched (513) and eighth in victories (50). She went 16-6 with a 1.86 earned run average and 151 strikeouts as a senior.
Her 2017 pitching staff led the conference in fewest earned runs allowed (87). The Golden Knights ranked second among all PSAC teams and 27th nationally in ERA (2.09). Gannon ranked third in the PSAC with seven shutouts.
Another heralded pupil was 2015 PSAC Western Division Athlete of the Year Jess Rectenwald. The four-year starter graduated ninth all-time at Gannon in victories (32) and 11th in strikeouts (213). She limited the opposition to a .268 average in 347 career innings.
During Wiley's second season in 2012, the Gannon pitching staff ranked third among PSAC programs in strikeouts (286) and fifth in ERA (2.28). All three Gannon pitchers produced a 2.57 ERA or lower. The trio also combined to record a league-best six saves.
All-PSAC first-team selection Megan Dragon anchored the staff during Wiley's first two seasons. Dragon led the conference and ranked 19th nationally in saves (3) during the 2012 campaign. She finished second among PSAC pitchers in strikeouts (187), sixth in ERA (2.08), sixth in games started (25), sixth in shutouts (5), sixth in complete games (17), seventh in innings pitched (158), seventh in appearances (30) and ninth in victories (13).
Wiley previously served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Springfield (Mass.) for two seasons (1999-00). She was instrumental in practice, recruiting and planning. In 2000, she was a member of the NFCA New England Region Co-Coaching Staff of the Year.
Prior to her stay at Springfield, Wiley helped run the Renegades Summer Softball Camp from 1993 to 1996. The camp included pitching and position drills.
Wiley was an outstanding pitcher during her playing days at Washington & Jefferson. She was a four-time first team All-Presidents Athletic Conference selection and was the PAC Pitcher MVP three times. Among her collegiate accolades were all-region second team and honorable mention ECAC All-East Region honors as a sophomore. She led NCAA Division III in victories (24) that season as W&J won the conference championship. A two-year team captain and four-year starter, Wiley was inducted into the Washington & Jefferson Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
The Erie, Pa., native played for the Renegades Fastpitch Traveling Softball Team for eight seasons (1993-00). The Renegades won seven consecutive league championships during her time with the team. She was also named NSA World Series Tournament MVP in 1996.
In addition to her coaching duties, Wiley has also been guiding Gannon's students in their academic endeavors during the last five years, serving as Coordinator for Academic Support for Student Athletes. Prior to this she served as Gannon's General Studies Coordinator as well as the Director of Gannon's Academic Advising Center. Wiley has worked with a diverse group of students that include freshmen, upperclassmen and student-athletes. She began her Gannon career as an academic advisor in 2005.
Wiley started her professional career in athletics as the Athletic Counselor at Springfield (Mass.) College (1998-00). She then served as the Life Skills Intern at the University of Florida (2000-01), before moving to the University of Central Florida. Wiley spent time as the Tutor and Study Session Coordinator, an adjunct professor and the academic/athletic advisor at UCF.
Wiley and her husband Tim reside in Erie with their daughter Mikala.
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