Jeff Franquet enters his fourth year
at the helm of the Central Connecticut softball program. In
his third season with the Blue Devils, Franquet guided the team to
a program record 31 wins, surpassing the record his team set in his
second season at Central by two. It marked a 12 win improvement
over his first season when he helped the team win 19 games.
Franquet boasts a 79-72-1 record over his three seasons in New
Britain. He has posted a 349-273-1 record in his 13 years of
coaching collegiate softball. He also boasts a 267-236-1 record in
10 seasons coaching softball at the NCAA Division I and II
levels.
The 2012 Blue Devil softball team set a new school record for wins
with a 31-19 season. This win total surpassed the 29-22-1 record
set by the 2011 squad. The 2012 team was led by Rebecca Mussatti,
who was named First Team All-NEC. Mussatti led the NEC in triples
(6) and in stolen bases (14). She was joined on the All-Conference
team by Nicole Springer and Laura Messina, who each earned
second-team nods. Springer led the conference in RBI (45) and
Messina broke numerous Blue Devil single-season records including
most appearances (35), most innings pitched (219.2), most wins (22)
and most strikeouts (207). In just one season as a Blue Devil,
Messina broke into the career records as well, ranking third in
both shutouts (7) and strikeouts.
The 2011 squad featured second team All-NEC selection Bruno who, as
a freshman, led the conference in hits during the regular
season. The team also earned National Fastpitch Coaches
Association All-Academic Team honors for the second straight
season.
The Blue Devils offense also improved as the team's batting average
jumped .59 to .271 in 2010, and again to .293 in 2012. The
Blue Devils also experienced success in the classroom during the
2009-10 academic year. The softball team was recognized by the
National Fastpitch Coaches Association as a Division I All-Academic
Team.
In 2010, under Franquet's guidance three Blue Devils earned All-NEC
honors. Becca Mussatti was a first team selection, while Kat
Knowles and Sara Budrick were selected to the second team.
Budrick was also named the NEC's most improved player.
Franquet has compiled a career NCAA collegiate record of 267-236-1
over nine seasons at Central Connecticut, Jacksonville University
(FL), and Georgian Court University (NJ).
While at Georgian Court, Franquet recorded a 108-57 record.
Franquet led the Lions to two Central Atlantic Collegiate
Conference Tournament Championships (2007, 2009) and made
appearances in the past three NCAA Regional Championships. In 2009,
after leading his team to an NCAA East Two Regional Championship
and coming within one victory of the NCAA Division II Women's
College World Series, Franquet's Georgian Court squads have
finished ranked in the top 25 twice, most recently finishing the
2009 season ranked 13th in the nation. Along with his coaching
staff, Franquet earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors from the
National Fastpitch Coaches Association for their efforts during the
2009 season.
Many of Franquet's student athletes have earned individual honors
as well, including NFCA All-American, 2007 CACC Player of the Year,
2008 CACC Pitcher of the Year, three NFCA All-Region players, as
well as 11 CACC All-Conference players, and 27 NFCA
All-Academic and CACC All-Academic representatives. Franquet also
founded the Lions' annual "Go to Bat for Breast Cancer" softball
tournament, to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Before Georgian Court, Franquet spent time as the head coach at
Jacksonville University (2001-2005). He developed the program from
the ground up, recruiting the inaugural class. He also had
stints at Central Florida Community College (1999-2001) and Freedom
High School (1997-1999). Franquet also coached the Yuengling
Patriots Women's Class A softball team and won the Amateur Softball
Association National Championship in 2001. In 2009 and 2010, he was
head coach of the Philadelphia Force, a member of the NPF (National
Pro Fastpitch).
Franquet received a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from
Mansfield University in 1992. Aside from his coaching
background, Franquet earned many accolades on the diamond as a
player. Throughout his 21-year softball career, which includes four
years playing professionally, Franquet earned 16 MVP Honors, played
on two world championship teams, won nine national championships,
15 regional titles and 17 state championships.
A native of Lewisburg, PA, Franquet resides in Newington, CT and
has two children, a daughter named Madison and a son named
Rawlings.