641-673-1705
christners@wmpenn.edu

Steph Christner enters her fourth year as assistant softball coach this coming spring.

Christner returned to Penn after serving as head softball coach at Ashford University in the spring of 2006.

A 2005 graduate of Penn, she spent two years in the Lady Statesmen softball program after one season each at NCAA Division I Michigan State and then at Indian Hills Community College. While she had considerable success at her two previous schools, Christner peaked in her time at Penn.  In becoming one of the top pitchers in the NAIA, she guided her 2005 squad to the school's first-ever national tournament appearance.

Among her accolades in the pitching circle, Christner was named an NFCA First-Team All-American in addition to claiming two all-Midwest Collegiate Conference awards in 2004 and 2005 and also MCC Co-Pitcher of the Year laurels as a senior. She also broke several school records in both pitching and hitting, including strikeouts in a season (354) and career (644), wins in a season (28), pitching starts in a season (36), innings pitched in a season (247), and hits in a season (79).

She has had success in the coaching ranks as well, leading Cardinal of Eldon HS to back-to-back Class 1A state championships in 2003 and 2004. Her 2005 team also reached the state tournament, claiming eighth place.

Christner, who was an assistant volleyball coach at Penn in 2005, will also assist in the transportation department at Penn.  She also serves as head softball coach at Knoxville HS.