St. John's University Athletics
Amy Kvilhaug Retires as St. John’s Softball Head Coach
9/6/2018 11:51:00 AM | Softball
Following 12 seasons with the Red Storm, Kvilhaug starts next chapter of her life
QUEENS, N.Y. (Sept. 5, 2018) – St. John's Interim Director of Athletics Kathy Meehan announced on Wednesday that Amy Kvilhaug will be stepping down as head coach of the University's softball program.
A national search for Kvilhaug's successor is underway. In the interim, Associate Head Coach, Bob Guerriero will lead the Red Storm.
"After 22 years of coaching at the collegiate level, most recently a 12-year stint as the Head Coach at St. John's, I am retiring from the sport that has been an integral part of my life for almost 35 years," Kvilhaug said. "I am simply ready for a new chapter in my life and will still be coaching, just in a different capacity and with a much different schedule as I begin my career as a life and performance coach."
Kvilhaug was named the eighth head coach in program history in July of 2006. The former St. John's coach is coming off of a notable 2018 season that featured her 400th career win. Kvilhaug capped off her career as a softball coach tallying a total 408 victories, including 281 at St. John's.
During her 12-year tenure, Kvilhaug helped the Johnnies to seven BIG EAST tournament appearances. The pinnacle of her coaching career at St. John's came during the 2015 campaign when she guided the team to the program's first NCAA tournament appearance in 35 years. Kvilhaug also helped the Red Storm claim its first regular-season title win as well as its first BIG EAST Tournament victory in 2015.
In 2017, Kvilhaug spearheaded a group that was named the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year after leading to the Johnnies to their second BIG EAST Regular Season title in three years. The 2017 squad set new program-highs with 17 BIG EAST wins and an overall .667 winning percentage. In addition to reaching its fourth-straight BIG EAST title game, St. John's matched the 1990 squad for the most wins in program history with 32 and set new single season mark for runs scored, with 277 as well as RBIs with 251.
In Kvilhaug's most recent season, The Johnnies recorded 62 roundtripper to break the program single season home run record of 45. Additionally, the Johnnies made their fifth-straight appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament.
During her time at the helm of the St. John's women's softball program, Kvilhaug mentored three BIG EAST Players of the Year, in Kacee Cox, Erin Burner and Krystal Puga. Additionally, Kvilhaug coached BIG EAST major award winners in 2015 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Tori Free and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Gretchen Bowie. Adding on to Kvilhaug's list of award winning athletes, she also had 38 players named to BIG EAST All-Conference Teams. On the national level, 10 of her student athletes were named to the NFCA All-Region teams.
"In recent years, I was fortunate to be part of many wins and championships," Kvilhaug said. "What stands out to me the most however is the vast group of people who made it all possible, all the people that have been a part of my journey, too many to name in this lifetime."
While Kvilhaug will be stepping down from coaching softball, she will continue mentoring on a daily basis off the field, as she begins the next chapter of her career as a life and performance coach.
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