Erica Keen is set to enter her sixth year as the top assistant coach for Penn State Harrisburg softball in 2024-25.
Most recently, Keen helped lead the Lions to an historic 2024 campaign that saw them win a single-season program-record 28 games, capture the United East Volt Division Regular Season Championship, and host the conference's divisional championship tournament for the first time in program history. Maddy Lehigh became the program's all-time leader in hits, runs, and triples and she won NCAA Statistical Championships in the categories of triples and triples per game. Lehigh was named the United East Volt Division Player of the Year, while Mackenzie Sawdey earned the conference's pitcher of the year award. Lehigh, Sawdey, and Sierra Sims earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region IV Third Team recognition for their efforts. The trio was joined by teammates Rylee Martinez, Aspen Walker, and Mackenzie Fisher as all-conference honorees.Â
In 2023, Keen helped lead Penn State Harrisburg to the United East Championship Game after matching the single-season program record for wins (26) for the second year in a row. Individually, Lehigh became the first player in program history to earn all-region recognition when she was named to the NFCA All-Region IV Second Team. Lehigh and Sawdey were named to the United East All-Conference First Team, while Sawdey also secured United East Rookie of the Year honors. Elaina Gates, Krys Moore, and Kierstyn Smith were named to the all-conference second team for their efforts.Â
In 2022, Keen helped lead the Lions to one of the most successful seasons in program history. The squad won a program-record 26 games in 2022 and qualified for the United East (formerly North Eastern Athletic Conference) Tournament for the second straight season. Penn State Harrisburg ranked second in the country in batting average (.387) and on-base percentage (.456), as well as top-10 nationally in runs (331), hits (437), and scoring (8.48). Thanks to her efforts and the effort of her staff, head coach Mandi Baer was named the United East Coach of the Year. Maddy Lehigh earned United East Rookie of the Year honors, while seven players secured all-conference recognition. Lehigh was joined on the all-conference first team by Steph Reider, McKenzie Boozel, Delaney Nevius, and Lauren Hess, while Maddie Krantz and Carissa Yeager earned second-team all-conference accolades.
After her first season on Baer's coaching staff was cut short due to COVID-19, Keen helped led the Lions to the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Championship Series in 2021 after knocking off the three-time defending conference champions from Penn State Berks in the tournament’s semifinal round. That spring, Penn State Harrisburg set program records for batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.396), and home runs (10). Under Keen's guidance, Steph Reider was named NEAC Rookie of the Year after securing first-team all-conference recognition. Courtney Fleisher, Mary-Kate Penczkowski, Delaney Nevius, and Kaylee DeMatteo earned all-conference second-team honors as well.
Her first season as an assistant in 2020 was cut unexpectedly short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lions got in just eight games before the spring season came to an end, with the Blue & White winning a pair of contests during the team’s annual spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. Six softball players were honored as NEAC Scholar-Athletes thanks to their success in the classroom during the 2019-20 academic year.
Keen, a four-year letter winner as a player at Division II Bloomsburg, appeared in three NCAA Regional Tournaments during her collegiate career. While at Bloomsburg, the Huskies reached the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament four times and won the PSAC Championship during her senior season in 2016. Following her graduation, Keen spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Division II Millersville before serving as the top assistant for Cedar Crest during the 2019 campaign.
