UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State softball Head Coach Clarisa Crowell announced the promotion of Volunteer Assistant Alexis Gallagher to become the program's third assistant coach for the upcoming 2024 season on Thursday afternoon.
"Alexis has been a volunteer coach for our program the past two years, and she has done a remarkable job," Crowell expressed. "She is truly passionate about coaching, and she has shown great commitment and dedication to our program, student-athletes and coaching staff. Coach Lex is hardworking, knowledgeable about the game, but most importantly she is a wonderful person with high integrity. I am thankful for the opportunity to promote Coach Lex to be a full-time assistant, and I know that she will continue to be a great asset for our program."
A rising star in the collegiate coaching ranks, Gallagher remains at home in Happy Valley after spending the past two seasons as the Nittany Lions' volunteer assistant coach. Gallagher played an instrumental role in helping guide PSU to back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time since 2005-06. Under her tutelage and with the support of Penn State's full-time staff, Gallagher has helped coach seven All-B1G postseason selections, five NFCA Great Lakes All-Region designees and 2022 Third Team NFCA All-American Bailey Parshall.
"I am a proud Pennsylvanian, so having the opportunity to continue my career in softball at Penn State is an absolute dream," Gallagher said. "I cannot thank Coach Crowell, Coach (Jeff) Tylka and Coach (Mysha) Sataraka enough for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to stay home and be a part of this remarkable softball program and University. I am ready to get to work and make an impact immediately for this team. My goal with coaching has always been to not only help create exceptional athletes, but exceptional young women off the field as well. I'm very excited to help continue this program's upward trajectory in the coming years."
Prior to joining the Nittany Lion staff, Gallagher had more than two years of prior coaching experience with the varsity team for Williamsport Area School District her native Williamsport, Pennsylvania. She was responsible for all pitching instruction and also provided instruction in hitting, infield and outfield work. Gallagher helped the team to a 19-2 record in the 2020-21 season, and a 15-5 record in the 2018-2019 campaign. Gallagher also has prior experience as an assistant softball camp instructor with children ranging in age from 10 years to high school, including multiple summers spent working for Little League International summer camps.
As a student-athlete at Saint Francis, Gallagher started in all 49 games her freshman season, 50 games her sophomore season, and 56 games in her junior season. She was named the 2014 NEC Rookie of the Year and became just the second player in SFU softball history to be named to an NFCA All-Region Team. She was also named a First Team All-NEC selection in 2014 and 2015. Gallagher was a member two NEC championship teams in her junior and senior seasons despite being unable to play both years due to ACL injuries. Gallagher was designated a three-year team captain from her sophomore season through her redshirt-senior campaign. Gallagher earned her Master's of Occupational Therapy in 2018 from Saint Francis University, the same university which issued her bachelor's degree in 2017.
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