Search

Southern Illinois University

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, IL 62901
Division 1 Illinois Midwest
Public Medium Not categorized
I'm interested in this program!

Coaches

Email coach

Jen Sewell

Jen Sewell was named Saluki softball’s interim head coach on March 2, 2022 after longtime head coach Kerri Blaylock stepped aside for health reasons. Sewell is just the third head coach in program history.


Sewell is in her 14th year at Southern Illinois University. She spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant before spending the last 11 as Blaylock’s associate head coach.


During her time at SIU, the Salukis have advanced to the NCAA postseason three times, which includes a pair of MVC Tournament titles. Southern won the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title after it defeated Northern Iowa, 2-0 in the MVC Championship game to earn SIU’s third appearance to a NCAA Regional in the last five seasons.


The Salukis hold a .609 (430-275) winning percentage since Sewell arrived in 2008 and have won at least 30 games in 11 of the 13 completed seasons in which she has been on staff.


The 2021 season was as memorable a year as any in Saluki softball history. In a season that was made all the more challenging due to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Southern set school records for both longest winning streak (25 games) and best start to a season (16-0), a run that saw the Salukis garner numerous votes in various Top-25 polls. The Salukis finished top-25 nationally in fielding percentage for the fourth time in the last six seasons and advanced to the MVC Tournament as the fourth seed. Once there, the Salukis outscored their opponents, 12-2 to bring home SIU’s third MVC Tournament title, and second in the last five seasons. In doing so, SIU advanced to its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance and third NCAA Tournament appearance with Sewell on staff.


Sewell has transformed SIU into one of the best hitting teams in the MVC. In 2019, the Salukis tied the school record for on-base percentage (.402) and posted both the second-best batting average (.303) and slugging percentage (.458) in program history. Southern led the MVC in batting average, which was its highest since 1994 while its slugging percentage was its best since 2005.


In 2018, the Salukis led the Missouri Valley Conference in runs, home runs and runs batted in and finished second in the league in walks and slugging percentage. It marked the first time since 2005 that Southern led the league in round-trippers while Southern’s second place finish in slugging percentage was it’s highest since 2011. Southern’s Maddy Vermejan led the league in on-base percentage while Katelyn Massa became the fourth Saluki under Sewell to win the league’s RBI crown, and the first to do so since Jayna Spivey in 2013.


During the 2018 offseason, Sewell was named the recipient of the NFCA’s Donna Newberry ‘Perseverance’ award, which recognizes an NFCA member coach who has demonstrated extraordinary strength of will and character in the fight to overcome a physical, mental, or social adversity that presented an additional challenge to the already demanding job of a coach. Sewell’s was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in 2011 and continues to overcome adversity and help SIU reach new heights. In 2020, Sewell was honored with the MVC's Most Courageous Award, presented to past or present student-athletes, coaches or university administrators who demonstrate unusual courage in the face of personal illness, adversity or tragedy and whose behavior reflects honor on the institution or the Conference.


Sewell’s hitters have earned 28 first-team All-MVC selections, 31 second-team All-MVC honors and 29 MVC All-Tournament Team selections. In 2010, Sewell helped the Salukis win the regular-season MVC championship and was a member of the conference’s Staff of the Year. In 2012, Sewell coached Mallory Duran-Sellers to MVC Most Valuable Player honors after the senior set an MVC record with 61 runs scored and posted a .363 batting average, .502 on-base percentage and .503 slugging percentage. In 2017, Sewell coached the Salukis to the MVC Tournament Championship and Southern advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 11thtime in program history. Southern again advanced to the NCAA Tournament, this time as an at-large in 2019. After a shortened 2020 season, the Salukis returned to the diamond in 2021 and won the program's third MVC Tournament title to advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history.


The top four RBI producers in SIU history- Shaye Harre, Jayna Spivey, Taylor Orsburn and Katelyn Massa - all thrived with Sewell’s guidance. All three players rank in the top-10 in MVC history for career RBIs. In 2015, Kalyn Harker led the conference with a .466 batting average against league competition and was named first-team All-MVC, first-team Academic All-America, and the MVC’s Dr. Charlotte West Aware recipient, which goes to the female student-athlete in the MVC who best exemplifies excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Southern led the league in on-base percentage for a sixth-straight year in 2014 and scored the second-most runs in the league. The squad broke a program record with 78 doubles on the season, and Spivey earned her fourth-straight All-MVC honor. Shaye Harre earned second-team All-MVC honors after hitting .329 and recording 43 RBIs, second-most among freshmen in SIU history.


In 2013, SIU finished first in the MVC in runs scored with 274 and RBIs with 252. Under Sewell’s direction, Morgan Barchan was named first-team All-Conference after recording 62 hits to tie for first in the Valley, becoming the first-ever Saluki to lead the league in hits. Jayna Spivey was also named a first-team selection after a productive offensive season in which she tied the MVC lead with 44 RBI and ranked second in the league with 38 runs scored.


2012 was a terrific season for the Saluki offense as SIU led the league in on-base percentage, runs, hits and walks and ranked second in batting average and RBI. SIU’s 307 runs in 2012 broke a school record and ranks fourth in MVC history. The Salukis’ .290 batting average in 2012 was the program’s best since 1997.


SIU also had a solid year offensively in 2011 under Sewell, finishing second in the league in batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored and RBI. Duran-Sellers posted the third-most hits in SIU history (65), with the fifth-best batting average in school annals (.398) en route to being named an All-MVC First Team selection.


Sewell earned a championship ring in 2010 as the Salukis took the MVC regular season title and finished second at the conference tournament. The SIU coaching staff was recognized that season as the MVC Coaching Staff of the Year. Sewell helped mentor the battery of MVC Pitcher of the Year Danielle Glosson and second-team All-MVC catcher Cristina Trapani. Sewell served as a volunteer assistant during the 2009 season before joining the staff full-time in 2010.


Prior to SIU, Sewell spent five seasons at Kansas (2004-2008), as a hitting and infield coach. During her time on staff, Sewell helped KU win its first-ever Big 12 postseason championship and made back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances. She also guided the Jayhawk defense to a program-best .973 fielding percentage, which ranked 14th in the nation in 2005. That same year, Sewell coached the team to a single-season home run record and single-season fielding percentage record of .973 which ranked No. 14 in the nation. Sewell coached Big 12 Player of the Year and Second Team All-American Serena Settlemier to single-season marks for home runs and slugging percentage while becoming KU’s fastest assistant coach to reach 100 wins.


Sewell got her start as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Princeton for four seasons. During her four seasons at Princeton, Sewell coached seven All-Ivy League selections, an Ivy League Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, as well as a two-time Ivy Pitcher of the Year. During the 2002 season, the Tigers set a program record for single season wins earning Speedline/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Coaching Staff of the Year (Northeast Region). Under Sewell’s direction, Princeton won back-to-back Ivy League championships and made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003.


Sewell earned her bachelor’s degree in history from Ohio University in 2000. Sewell was a four-year letterwinner for the Bobcats from 1996-2000. Sewell served as co-captain and was an All-Mid American Conference Second-Team selection at catcher. She was a member of the OU Dean’s List from 1997-2000, Team MVP in 1998, and recipient of the 2000 OU Alumni Scholar Athlete Award.


In addition to her softball background, Sewell was also the co-founder of the Women’s Intersport Network (WIN) of Southern Illinois.

show more
Email coach

Mary Jo Firnbach

Saluki Hall of Famer Mary Jo Firnbach '91 returns to SIU as associate head coach for the 2023 season.


Firnbach, who starred on SIU's softball team from 1987-91 and was inducted into Southern's Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility in 1996, has amassed an impressive coaching resume dotted with stops at several perennial powerhouses which include the likes of Michigan, Texas A&M and North Carolina. All told, Firnbach's teams have made 15 NCAA Regional appearances and have been to three College World Series, including a National Runner-up finish while at Texas A&M in 2008.


Firnbach arrives in Carbondale after spending the last eight seasons as the associate head coach at North Carolina. The Tar Heels made four NCAA Regional appearances during her seven full seasons and set single-season program records in a litany of categories under her tutelage, including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored and home runs. In 2017, Firnbach helped the Tar Heels reach both the ACC Championship game and the Regional Finals in the same season for the first time in program history.


Prior to her eight seasons at Chapel Hill, Firnbach spent eight seasons as the associate head coach at Texas A&M. During her tenure at College Station, the Aggies made eight NCAA Regional appearances, including two trips to the Women's College World Series and four NCAA Super Regional appearances. In 2008, Texas A&M advanced to the national championship game. Firnbach's major job functions while in Aggieland included working with hitters, infielders, team defense and team offense and the results were immediate. In her first season on staff, Texas A&M hit .284 as a team and, in 2013 and 2014, posted back-to-back seasons in which they hit over .300 for the first time in the program's esteemed history.


Firnbach arrived at Texas A&M after she built Syracuse's softball program from the ground up from 1998-2006. In seven seasons, Firnbach compiled a 174-169-1 overall record, won a then-program record 36 games in 2006, made three appearances in the Big East Tournament and earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2005.


As a student-athlete, Firnbach was a four-year standout at third base and was named team captain prior to the 1991 season, a season in which the Salukis went 42-7 and were the Gateway Conference regular season and tournament champions. She was a two-time GTE Academic All-American, a two-time All-League and All-Midwest region pick, as well as SIU's Gateway Conference Athlete of the Decade. She started all 184 softball games in her career, hit .309, committed only 12 errors in 667 chances, and helped her teams to a 127-59 record.


Following her stellar playing career at SIU, Firnbach played professionally for the Raybestos Brakettes in Stratford, Conn. The Brakettes won the national championship and the gold medal at the Olympic Sports Festival. She also played with the Michigan Cruise in Ann Arbor, Mich., which finished fifth at the national tournament in 1994.


Firnbach entered the coaching profession immediately following graduation, serving as a volunteer assistant coach for two seasons at Southern, while completing her master's degree in sport psychology. She served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan from 1993 to 1995 where she helped lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten Conference regular season and tournament championship, the National Invitational Tournament title and to an appearance in the College World Series. She then spent three seasons at Illinois State, where she helped the Redbirds win a pair of Missouri Valley Conference titles before taking the reins at Syracuse in 1998.

show more
Email coach

Kenzi Bennett

Kenzi (Tate) Bennett begins her eighth season at SIU in 2023.


Bennett has been at SIU in some capacity since 2015 and will serve this season as Southern's pitching coach. The Mount Vernon, Ill. native arrived at SIU in 2015 as a graduate assistant with Southern's strength and conditioning staff. After receiving her master's degree in 2017, she joined head coach Kerri Blaylock's staff as a volunteer assistant and helped with coaching the team's pitchers while also working with SIU's coaching staff to complete day-to-day practice responsibilities.


Bennett has served as both a full-time and volunteer assistant in each of the last six seasons. During that stretch Southern has made three NCAA Tournament appearances and won the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship. The Salukis hold a .632 winning percentage (177-102-1) during Bennett's six seasons on staff and have won 30-plus games in four of the five full seasons that she has been a part of. SIU's pitching staff, meanwhile, has finished in the top-three in the league in team ERA in each of the last four seasons.


Bennett played her high school ball at Mount Vernon where she left as the program's all-time leader in most statistical categories including hits (157), doubles (43), home runs (22), RBIs (153), innings pitched (470), shutouts (28), strikeouts (689), wins (57) and ERA (.88). She ultimately chose to play collegiate softball at UT-Martin, where she started all four years for the Skyhawks and led the Ohio Valley Conference in batting average, home runs and RBIs in 2013 while also going 20-6 as a pitcher. She was a two-time All-OVC selection and helped UT-Martin win both the OVC regular season and tournament titles in 2012.


Bennett earned a bachelor's degree in human and health performance from UT-Martin in 2015 and received her master's of science in education from SIU in 2017.

show more

College Bound Athletes

Showcase Tips

Are you ready for your next college showcase?
The site was a great resource to sort colleges by my selection criteria, connect with coaches and be a repository for all of my communications. Overall, the best site that I used in my college soccer search.
- Kiera LoftusWhat are others saying?