SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame head softball coach Deanna Gumpf announced that Kris Ganeff will be promoted to Associate Head Coach. Ganeff will enter her 22nd season on staff in 2023, having served as an assistant coach from 2002-2012 an associate coach from 2013-22. She will be the second associate head coach in Notre Dame softball history, joining Gumpf as the only individuals to earn that title.
“Kris has been alongside me for 21 years here at Notre Dame.” Gumpf said, “She has been offered countless opportunities to leave and take over other programs. Instead, she has been loyal to Notre Dame and has given her heart and soul to this program. I’m grateful to have her by my side to lead our team and I am thrilled that she is being honored with this promotion. No one is more deserving.”
Over the past 21 seasons, Ganeff has been instrumental in making Notre Dame softball one of the most consistent programs in the country. With Ganeff on the bench, the Irish have never had a losing season, qualified for NCAA Regionals in each year the tournament was held, won four conference tournament championships and seven conference regular season championships.
Ganeff is one of the longest tenured assistant coaches in the nation. She spearheads the Irish recruiting efforts, which attracts players from every corner of the United States. She also runs and directs all of Notre Dame softball’s camps and clinics and served as the third vice president on the board of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
In her coaching career, she’s helped tutor three USA Softball National Player of the Year Finalists, two NFCA Freshman of the Year Finalists, 19 NFCA All-Americans, 81 NFCA All-Region honorees (50 First Team Choices), eight Conference Players of the Year, four Conference Pitchers of the Year, and a pair of Conference Freshmen of the Year.
On the field, she works closely with each player on hitting and defense, and specializes in the development of the Irish infield and catchers. With her guidance, Notre Dame has finished among the top 25 programs in fielding percentage consistently over the past 12 seasons, and broke into the top 10 nationally with a .974 team fielding percentage in 2016.
With the catching staff, the Irish routinely have some of the premier backstops in the NCAA. Last season, the Irish were second in the ACC in runners caught stealing, and earned a .694 stolen base allowed percentage. She tutored Cassidy Whidden to two NFCA All-Region selections and two All-Conference honors. Whidden one of just eight Irish hitters to hit 10 or more homers in consecutive seasons. She also helped hone Amy Buntin skills to become the top defensive catcher in the country in the Irish’s final season in the BIG EAST. She recorded just one error in nearly 400 chances behind the plate, and earned a .997 fielding percentage.
Ganeff, formerly McCleary, was a four-year monogram winner in her playing career. Here she earned All-BIG EAST and All-NFCA Mideast Region honors as a senior in 1999 and was also an all-conference honoree in 19987.. She hit a career-best seven home runs in her final season while throwing out 16 attempted base stealers. She earned second team all-conference selection in 1997 and was a team captain on the 1999 team. She was selected in the eighth round of the 1999 Women’s Professional Softball League draft by the Virginia Roadsters and ranks fifth all-time in career putouts at Notre Dame. In lieu of playing professionally, Ganeff began her coaching career at UNLV before coming back to South Bend.