# Army Black Knights softball

The Army Black Knights softball team represents the United States Military Academy in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Patriot League. From 1982 until 1990, the team was a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The Black Knights are currently led by head coach Jen Consaul. The team plays its home games at Army Softball Complex located on the university's campus.

## History

During their time in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, the Black Knights won the conference regular season title twice as well as two MAAC tournament championships, achieving both during the 1986 and 1988 seasons. The team has had two players named MAAC tournament MVP, with third baseman Andee Hidalgo winning the award in 1986 and pitcher Colleen McCabe winning in 1988.
After switching to the Patriot League in 1991, the team found immediate success by winning the regular season and conference championship in 1991 and 1992. The team also won the PL conference tournament in 2000, 2002, and 2013, qualifying for the NCAA Division I softball tournament in each season. Army has won PL Coach of the Year five times, doing so in 1991, 1992, and 2002 with Jim Flowers, and 2010 and 2016 with Michelle DePolo. The program has also won seven PL Player of the Year awards, doing so in 1991 with McCabe, 1992 with Paula Bostwick, 1994 with Sheri Schweiker, 2000, 2001, and 2002 with Nicki Robbins, and in 2016 with Kasey McCravey.
The Black Knights qualified for their first NCAA tournament in 2000, facing off in the first round of regionals against Washington. They were defeated by a score of 5-0 and were sent to the losers bracket where they faced off against Chattanooga. Army was officially eliminated from the tournament after losing a close 6-4 contest that went to extra innings. The program qualified for the tournament for the second time in three years in 2002. In the team's first game of the tournament, the Black Knights were defeated by Texas by a score of 4-0. After being sent to the losers bracket, the program won its first NCAA tournament game after defeating Utah 2-0. Army's run was ended after losing to Arkansas by a score of 2-0. After an 11 year absence, the Black Knights qualified for the 2013 NCAA Division I softball tournament and faced off against Texas, where they were defeated by a score of 5-0. They were eliminated from the tournament by Houston by a score of 7-5.

### Coaching history

| Years | Coach | Record | % |
| 1979–1980 | Dennis Helsel | 24–16 | .600 |
| 1981, 1983 | Lorraine Quinn | 15–27 | .357 |
| 1982 | Suzi Horne | 5–14 | .263 |
| 1984–1985 | Harold Johnson | 28–36 | .438 |
| 1986–1989 | Al Arceo | 107–47 | .695 |
| 1990 | Gary Winton | 29–10 | .744 |
| 1991–2009 | Jim Flowers | 394–492–2 | .445 |
| 2010–2018 | Michelle DePolo | 280–216–1 | .564 |
| 2019 | Bob Beretta | 26–30 | .464 |
| 2020–2022 | Cheryl Milligan | 50–60 | .455 |
| 2023–present | Jen Consaul | 22–37 | .373 |

## Season by season results

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Army Black Knights (AIAW) (1979–1981) ||||||
| 1979 | Dennis Helsel | 14–9 | | | |
| 1980 | Dennis Helsel | 10–7 | | | |
| 1981 | Lorraine Quinn | 9–11 | | | |
| Army Black Knights (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (1982–1990) ||||||
| 1982 | Suzi Horne | 5–14 | | | |
| 1983 | Lorraine Quinn | 6–16 | | | |
| 1984 | Harold Johnson | 18–14 | | | |
| 1985 | Harold Johnson | 10–22 | | | |
| 1986 | Al Arceo | 27–7 | | 1st | |
| 1987 | Al Arceo | 23–18 | | 2nd | |
| 1988 | Al Arceo | 33–11 | | 1st | |
| 1989 | Al Arceo | 24–11 | | 3rd | |
| 1990 | Gary Winton | 29–10 | | 2nd | |
| Army Black Knights (Patriot League) (1991–present) ||||||
| 1991 | Jim Flowers | 28–13 | 12–0 | 1st | |
| 1992 | Jim Flowers | 28–15 | 11–1 | 1st | |
| 1993 | Jim Flowers | 15–26–1 | 7–5 | 4th | |
| 1994 | Jim Flowers | 23–20 | 8–4 | 3rd | |
| 1995 | Jim Flowers | 13–33 | 4–8 | 5th | |
| 1996 | Jim Flowers | 11–31 | 3–7 | 5th | |
| 1997 | Jim Flowers | 12–31 | 4–6 | 5th | |
| 1998 | Jim Flowers | 16–24 | 6–12 | 5th | |
| 1999 | Jim Flowers | 25–19 | 8–12 | 5th | |
| 2000 | Jim Flowers | 29–18 | 8–2 | 2nd | NCAA Regionals |
| 2001 | Jim Flowers | 20–27 | 9–11 | 4th | |
| 2002 | Jim Flowers | 31–19–1 | 14–4 | 2nd | NCAA Regionals |
| 2003 | Jim Flowers | 20–27 | 9–11 | 4th | |
| 2004 | Jim Flowers | 27–22 | 15–5 | 2nd | |
| 2005 | Jim Flowers | 29–21 | 12–6 | 2nd | |
| 2006 | Jim Flowers | 18–37 | 9–11 | 4th | |
| 2007 | Jim Flowers | 15–36 | 9–11 | 4th | |
| 2008 | Jim Flowers | 13–39 | 8–12 | 4th | |
| 2009 | Jim Flowers | 21–34 | 8–12 | T–4th | |
| 2010 | Michelle DePolo | 33–20 | 15–5 | 1st | |
| 2011 | Michelle DePolo | 28–25 | 9–11 | 4th | |
| 2012 | Michelle DePolo | 37–21 | 14–6 | 2nd | |
| 2013 | Michelle DePolo | 35–26 | 12–8 | 2nd | NCAA Regionals |
| 2014 | Michelle DePolo | 23–28 | 9–9 | 4th | |
| 2015 | Michelle DePolo | 23–27 | 9–9 | T–3rd | |
| 2016 | Michelle DePolo | 39–20 | 13–5 | 2nd | |
| 2017 | Michelle DePolo | 36–21 | 10–8 | 3rd | |
| 2018 | Michelle DePolo | 26–28 | 10–8 | 4th | |
| 2019 | Bob Beretta | 26–30 | 8–10 | T–4th | |
| 2020 | Cheryl Milligan | 14–9 | 0–0 | N/A | Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic |
| 2021 | Cheryl Milligan | 16–17 | 12–10 | 4th | |
| 2022 | Cheryl Milligan | 20–34 | 10–8 | 3rd | |
| 2023 | Jen Consaul | 22–37 | 8–10 | 4th | |
| 2024 | Jen Consaul | 0–0 | 0–0 | | |
| Total: | Total: | 980–985–3 (.499) | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||