Julie Koman Gasdick is the most successful pitcher in the history of the Penn State Behrend softball program. She led Behrend to three NCAA Tournament appearances in her four seasons and was a four-time All-AMCC selection. Koman earned AMCC Newcomer and Player of the Year awards in her freshman campaign and was awarded Player of the Year once again along with Pitcher of the Year as a senior. She is the program leader in wins (59), appearances (95) and strikeouts (690). 

 

Koman emerged as a star in her freshman year in 2006. She pitched 11 shutouts in 23 starts, collecting 20 wins and striking out 247 batters for a 0.99 ERA. Those numbers translated into AMCC Player and Newcomer of the Year honors, along with a nod on the All-AMCC First Team. Koman’s efforts on the mound helped the Lions capture the AMCC Championship and earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. 

 

As a sophomore in 2007, Koman continued her dominance in the circle. She posted a 19-6 record, striking out 176 and recording eight more shutouts. She landed back on the All-AMCC First Team. As a team, the Lions advanced to the semifinals of the ECAC Southern Region Tournament and finished with a 29-16 overall record. 

 

In her junior year, Koman threw 14 complete games in 24 starts for 161.2 innings of work. She registered another 20-win season and struck out 156 of the batters she faced. She ranked first in the AMCC in strikeouts and led with a 1.60 ERA to capture her third All-AMCC First Team honors. The hurler led the Lions to another AMCC Championship and a second trip to the NCAA Tournament. The team finished with a 33-14 overall record. 

 

Her senior year performance etched Koman’s name into the record book for years to come. She tallied 12 complete games in 15 starts in the circle and finished with an astounding 16-2 record with a sharp 1.38 ERA. Koman recorded 111 more strikeouts, which gave her 690 for a career, a program record that still stands today. She capped her career with two more coveted AMCC awards in Player and Pitcher of the Year. Koman is one of the few players to be named a First Team All-AMCC selection all four years. She went on to earn ESPN Academic All-District, NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-Region and the Behrend Female Athlete of the Year. 

 

In addition to strikeouts, Koman continues to rank first in nearly every pitching category in program history (games, complete games, innings pitched, wins, ERA). 

 

After graduating from Behrend in 2009 with a bachelor of science in marketing, Koman also obtained her MBA in 2010. She currently lives in Milford, New Hampshire and works for New Hampshire Ball Bearings, Inc.