Feb. 17, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics mourns the passing of former head softball coach, Pat McTarsney, who died on February 9, 2014. She was 81 years old.
As the first softball coach for Penn State, McTarsney played an instrumental role in developing the program. McTarsney helped the Lions to an 85-66-1 mark during her 15 years at the helm (1965-72, 1974-80). The trailblazer led Penn State to its first postseason appearance in program history in 1975 with a berth in the Pennsylvania Tournament and brought the Nittany Lions to the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) Tournament in 1978.
For her contributions, McTarsney was honored by Penn State with an invitation to deliver the opening speech for the Women's History Month Series for the Penn State All-Sports Museum in 2011.
A native of Johnson County, Indiana, McTarsney was a graduate of Center Grove High School and earned her bachelor's degree from Butler University. McTarsney went on to earn her master's degree in health and physical education from the University of Iowa and her PhD in motor learning from the University of Oregon.
Pat is survived by her sister, Shirley (DeWane) Calvert; nephews Tony and Mark Calvert; and several great nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held for Pat on February 22, 2014, at 4 p.m. at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, 1737 Riggins Road, Tallahassee, FL. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Pat's memory to St. Marks Refuge Association, Inc. (Friends of St. Marks), Post Office Box 368, St Marks, Florida 32355 or to Birdsong Nature Center, 2106 Meridian Road 322, Thomasville, GA 31792.