Penn State softball has hired Miami (Ohio)’s Clarisa Crowell as its new head coach, the team announced Monday.

She’ll replace Amanda Lehotak, who stepped down earlier this summer after seven years with the Nittany Lions.

Crowell spent the past eight seasons at Miami (Ohio) and became the winningest softball coach in program history with 208 wins. She was the 2019 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Coach of the Year and led the RedHawks to a 2016 conference championship.

“I would like to thank Sandy Barbour and Charmelle Green for entrusting me to be the next head coach of Penn State Softball,” Crowell said. “I firmly believe in the vision, mission and values of Penn State, and it is an incredible honor to be a part of this prestigious university and athletic department. I am excited to meet our student-athletes, staff, other coaches and the entire Penn State family. It is my intention to create a culture of comprehensive excellence and to take our program to the next level.”

In 2019, Crowell led the RedHawks to a 35-16 overall record and a 16-4 record in conference play. They went on a 10-game winning streak against MAC opponents, the longest in program history, and led the conference in ERA (2.55) and fielding percentage (0.972).

“We are ecstatic to have attracted someone with Clarisa’s experience, intellect and character to lead our softball program,” Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour said. “Throughout her career, she has made a strong commitment to develop student-athletes both on and off the field.  Her care for her students, devotion to comprehensive excellence, as well as her successes as the head coach at Miami (Ohio) and an assistant coach at Oklahoma State, make her a great fit for Penn State. We believe she will be a tremendous addition to our Nittany Lion family, and I can’t wait for our student-athletes to begin the ‘Coach C’ era.”