Niagara University Athletics

Larry Puzan enters his third season as the head coach of the Purple Eagles softball team in 2016. Puzan briefly served as interim head coach of the team in 2013 following 18 years as an assistant coach at Niagara.

In his two seasons as head coach, Puzan has coached Niagara to a record of 22-70, including a 12-30 record in MAAC competition. Puzan's teams have included one All-MAAC Second Team player (P/3B Bridget Hogan in 2014) and 15 MAAC Softball All-Academic Team members.

Since joining the staff in 1996, Puzan has helped several pitchers earn All-MAAC selections, with Brooke Viola earning a nod in 2008 and Julie DiMatteo in 2010. Puzan mentored one of the best pitchers in Niagara softball history in Joni Sontrop. Sontrop was a first-team All-MAAC and MAAC All-Tournament selection. Sontrop led the Purple Eagles into the NCAA Tournament with a 10-7 record and a 1.27 ERA.

As a softball player, Puzan has pitched for men’s fastpitch teams throughout Western New York for over 25 years. He has competed regularly in national competitions, including a third-place finish in the 2001 American Softball Association National Tournament. Puzan pitched himself to a 5-0 record, as well as a 7-2 overall team record. Just two years later, Puzan and his team finished second.
 

As a youth recreation director, Puzan developed several local pitchers, including 2001 Police Athletic League Female Athlete of the Year Krissy Mamon. Mamon went on to RIT, where she established 17 records. Puzan continues to work with local youth as a pitching instructor.