Niagara University Athletics

After being named interim head coach during the 2013 season and serving as an assistant coach for the Purple Eagles for 17 seasons, Puzan was officially named head coach of the program in July of 2013. 

Highlights
• MAAC Pitcher of the Year: Jennifer Sansano (2013), Maddie Hickingbottom (2024)
• 19 All-MAAC Selections.
• 114 MAAC All-Academic honorees.
• Most Wins: 29 (2024)
• Most MAAC Wins: 16 (2024)
 
2024
• Led Niagara to 29 wins, second most in program history, including 16 MAAC wins, which is the most in program history.
• Coached five All-MAAC Selections, including Second Team honoree and Co-MAAC Pitcher of the Year, Maddie Hickingbottom
• Set program records in conference wins, runs scored (248), hits (418), doubles (81), and RBI (231). 
• Clinched a MAAC postseason berth for the first time since 2019 and a first-round bye for the first time since 2008.
• Advanced to the MAAC Semifinals for the first time since 2019.
• Earned the programs first season sweep of rival Buffalo since 2008.
• Won its series over Canisius for the first time since 2018.

2023
• The 2023 season saw Niagara take its second trip to Hawaii for a two-week span to start the season.
• Niagara would go on to win nine games in 2023, including four league wins.
• Sam Hare and Lindsay Mayo were named to the All-MAAC First and Second Teams, respectively.
• Senior pitcher Maddie Hickingbottom struck out 151 batters, the fourth most by a Purple Eagle in a single season.
• Of Niagara’s nine wins, five came against St. Bonaventure.
• 15 student-athletes were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
 
2022
• Niagara finished the 2022 season 8-12 in league play and 14-26 overall. 
• The Purple Eagles picked up their first sweep of Marist in over a decade and won its first four league games.
• NU play its first ranked opponent since 2018 as the Purple and White traveled to Auburn.
• A total of  12 student-athletes were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team
 
2021
• The 2021 season saw the Puzan led Purple Eagles win 11 games, the third straight season with eight or more MAAC wins (excluding the 2020 season).
• Puzan mentored All-MAAC First Team selection Heather Haberman and MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree Maggie Kellner.
• 11 Purple Eagles were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
 
2020
• The 2020 season was cut short on March 12 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Purple Eagles went 3-7 in their first 10 games in Florida.
• With a 5-4 win over Detroit Mercy on March 7, Puzan earned his 100th victory at the helm of the Niagara softball program.
 
2019
• Niagara made its first-ever trip to Hawaii in 2019 to start the season.
• The Purple and White finished the season 18-32 overall and 11-9 in conference play, earning the programs first trip to the MAAC Softball Championship since 2013.  
• NU’s 11-9 record in league play was its first above .500 season since 2013.
•  After falling to Iona to start the double elimination tournament, the Purple Eagles won three-straight to make it to the elimination bracket final against Marist.
• Jerri Ann Orfano was named to the All-MAAC First Team.
• A total of 15 student-athletes were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
• Kendall Watkins set the program record for walks in a season with 32.
 
2018
• Niagara wet 16-33 overall and 8-12 in MAAC play during the 2018 season.
• The Purple and White recorded non-conference wins over Cleveland State, Robert Morris, Houston Baptist, Binghamton, Penn, and Youngstown State.  
• Emily Johnston recorded four saves, a Purple Eagle single-season record.
• The Purple and White set the program record with 171 walks, and also drove in 163 runs, the fifth most in a single-season.
• Freshman Kelsey Harrigan was named to the MAAC All-Rookie team.
• Nine Purple Eagles received MAAC All-Academic honors.
 
2017
• The Purple Eagles finished 19-26 overall and 10-10 in conference play, narrowly missing the MAAC Softball Championship.
• The 10-10 mark in MAAC play was the Purple Eagles’ first .500 or better season since 2013.
• Niagara began the season 5-1, defeating Robert Morris, Cleveland State and South Dakota.
•  Through the first eight MAAC games, the Purple Eagles posted a 6-2 record.
• Bridgit Hogan landed on the All-MAAC First Team, and freshman Kendall Watkins received MAAC All-Rookie Team honors.
• Eight Purple Eagles were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
 
2016
• Niagara finished the 2016 season with an 8-12 MAAC record and 10-38 overall mark.
• After starting conference play 5-2, the Purple and White went 4-10 in the final 14 conference games.
• Chanelle Ward was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and freshman Sierra Bertrand earned MAAC All-Rookie Team honors.
• Six members of the Purple and White earned MAAC All-Academic recognition.
 
2015
• Niagara finished the season 4-40 overall, winning all four games in league play.
• NU picked up a sweep of Saint Peter’s and won games over Fairfield and Siena.
• Niagara began the season on a 19-game losing streak.
• Six Purple Eagles were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
 
2014
• In Puzan’s first full season as head coach, the Purple Eagles went 18-30 overall and posted an 8-12 mark in conference action.
• Freshman Bridgit Hogan was named to the All-MAAC Second Team.
• A total of nine student-athletes were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
 
2013
• After the Purple and White began the season 3-21, Puzan was named interim head coach and led NU to a 13-9 record as the bench boss and the programs first MAAC Softball Championship appearance in three years.
• Niagara won a program best nine-straight games in Puzan’s first month as head coach.
• Jennifer Sansano led NU with a 2.14 ERA and threw the leagues only no-hitter (Apr. 21 vs. Manhattan) en route to being named MAAC Pitcher of the Year. Sansano finished 45th in the nation with 8.1 strikeouts per 7.0 innings.
• The Purple Eagles finished 2013 by recording the fifth-most team hits in program history with 317 while passing last year’s record for total team strikeouts with 270.
• Becky Zill and Alexis Wayne were named to the All-MAAC Second Team.
• Nine Purple Eagles were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
 
1996-2013
Puzan, has been a member on the staff since 1996

As an assistant coach, Puzan helped several pitchers earn All-MAAC selections including Brooke Viola (2008), Julie DiMatteo (2010) and most noticeably Joni Sontrop who led the Purple Eagles into their only NCAA Tournament appearance in 1998.
 
Niagara’s lone MAAC Softball Championship came in 1998, Puzan’s third season on staff.
 
Playing & Professional Career
As a softball player, Puzan has pitched for men’s fastpitch teams throughout Western New York for over 38 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, and helped the team to a 7-2 overall mark. Just two years later, Puzan and his team finished second.
 
Puzan was inducted into the Western New York Softball Hall of Fame in 2018.
 
Puzan served as the athletics director and girls’ basketball coach at Niagara Catholic High School until 2018 and served the region as a youth recreation director and softball pitching instructor.