Softball | 7/21/2025 3:42:00 PM
LORETTO, Pa. - Saint Francis University Director of Athletics Jim Brazill has announced the hiring of Bill Vasko as the new Red Flash softball head coach. He becomes the 14th head coach in program history, taking over a program that has won seven of the last eight Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament titles and appeared in seven NCAA Division I Regionals.
"Coach Vasko brings a wealth of experience to our softball program," said Brazill. "We have enjoyed a lot of success on the diamond for the last decade, and we are excited to see Coach Vasko lead us into the next era of Red Flash softball."
Vasko comes to Loretto with 15 years of experience as a collegiate softball coach, 10 years as a head coach, 25 years of coaching experience in college athletics, and a total of 31 years of coaching experience.
"I'm incredibly honored to be named the softball head coach at Saint Francis," said Vasko. "This program has a strong tradition of excellence, and I'm excited to build on that legacy while helping our student-athletes grow both on and off the field. Saint Francis is a special place, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to lead this program into its next chapter. Our focus will be on developing leaders, continuing the championship culture, and competing with pride every time we take the field."
Vasko spent the last seven seasons as the head coach at Frostburg State. From 2021-24, the Bobcats won 114 games for the best four-year stretch in program history, including 31 wins in 2023 (the second most in program history) and 29 victories in 2022 and 2024 (the fourth most wins in program history). The second-winningest head coach in Frostburg State history, he helped the Bobcats finish tied for first in the Mountain East Conference North Division in 2022 and second in the regular season in 2021 and 2024.
He coached a conference Rookie of the Year, and 17 times a player at Frostburg State was named to the all-conference team (three first-team, 14 second-team). Additionally, he coached a player named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-American team.
Before joining Frostburg, he spent four seasons as an assistant coach at UMass Lowell and one season at former NEC member Quinnipiac. UMass-Lowell won 21 games and finished with a winning record in 2017, marking the first time in five seasons and the first time as an NCAA Division I program that the team achieved a winning record.
Vasko gained his first head coaching experience at Wheeling Jesuit from 2008 to 11. In his first season, the team won 27 games, the third most since Wheeling Jesuit reinstated the softball program in 2002.
He served as the director of athletics and co-head softball coach at Buckeye Trail High School in Ohio from 2002 to 2008, gaining his first experience coaching a softball team.
A 1994 graduate from the Ohio State University, he served as an assistant football coach and baseball coach for the first 10 years of his career: Ohio State (football, 1992-93); Upper Arlington High School (football, 1993-94), Ohio Wesleyan University (football, 1994-95), Kenyon College (football & baseball, 1995-98), Otterbein College (football, 1998), Denison University (football, 1999) and Muskingum University (baseball, 1999-02).
What They Are Saying About Bill Vasko:
Anthony Williams, Frostburg State Baseball Head Coach
"I am happy for Bill to get this opportunity. He works extremely hard for his players and knows what it takes to be successful, having spent time at every level at college. I look forward to following his success at Saint Francis."
Melissa Shock, former assistant softball coach at Frostburg State/current softball head coach at Barton College
"Bill Vasko is one of the most well-rounded and forward-thinking coaches in the game. His offensive philosophy is elite, built on a deep understanding of swing mechanics, body movement, and how to translate biomechanics into real results at the plate. He's a tireless recruiter with a sharp eye for talent and a relentless drive to build winning rosters. But what truly sets Bill apart is how much he cares. He mentors his student athletes with intention, builds strong, lasting relationships, and creates a family-first environment where both players and staff thrive. Saint Francis is getting the kind of coach who makes programs better from the inside out."
