Kennesaw State softball announced the hiring of Mel Savala as an assistant coach in November 2025.
Savala spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Saint Francis University (Pa.). In her two years in Loretto, Pa. the Red Flash won back-to-back Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament titles with the coaching staff being named NEC Coaching Staff of the Year in 2024. With a 67-40 record (38-7 NEC), she coached four NFCA all-region selections and 13 all-conference honorees.
Working primarily with hitters and the outfield, Savala guided Savannah Nash to NEC Player of the Year honors in 2025, leading the conference in batting average (.421) and stolen bases (18). She also secured an NFCA Second Team All-Region accolade.
Olivia Ulam also scooped up major postseason awards, being named the conference’s Golden Glove, along with NEC Female Student Athlete of the Year and NEC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year. Her stellar defense and conference-best 14 doubles earned her first-team all-conference honors.
In 2025, Nash (OF), Ulam (1B), Hannah Bendle (SS), Allie Braly (P) all received First-Team All-NEC honors while Annabelle Farmer (C) and AB Cipalla (DP) were named to the second team. Cipalla and Sofia Zielinski (OF/1B) were members of the all-rookie team.
In her first season, Savala assisted Saint Francis to NEC Tournament and NEC Regular Season titles. She was part of the NEC Coaching Staff of the Year alongside head coach Beth Krysiak and volunteer assistant Ry Godde. She worked primarily with hitting and the outfield and helped Saint Francis rank second in program history in batting average (.303), fourth in hits (440) and fifth in RBIs (280) and doubles (76).
Under her guidance, Nash earned NFCA Third Team All-Region (OF) and First Team All-NEC (OF), while Ashley Wruble added Second Team All-NEC (OF) honors.
She also assisted the hitting of Ulam, who earned NFCA Second Team All-Region (1B) and First Team All-NEC (1B), Rachel Marsden, who earned NFCA Second Team All-Region (P/UTIL) and First Team All-NEC (P and DP), Kaylie Walters, who earned First Team All-NEC (SS) and NEC All-Rookie Team, Ashley Orischak, who earned First Team All-NEC (2B), Farmer, who earned Second Team All-NEC (C) and Aliya Garroway, who earned NEC All-Rookie Team.
Savala joined Saint Francis after she spent the 2023 season at NCAA Division II member Wingate University, where the Bulldogs held a 48-17 overall record. She assisted the program to its first regular season title since 2009. Wingate advanced to the 2023 NCAA Super Regionals after winning the Southeast Regional.
Prior to Wingate, Savala spent three seasons at NCAA Division III member Millsaps College from 2020-22. In 2022, she assisted the Majors to an 11-7 conference record, its most wins since 2017, which included a series victory over nationally ranked Berry College.
During her coaching career, Savala has assisted in running outfield and hitting sessions, planning and organizing drills, watching film and building scouting reports, among other responsibilities.
Savala spend four years at Division III member University of Dallas, where she set a career record with 156 games played and single-game record with five stolen bases. She was a 2016 All-SCAC and a 2018-19 All-SCAC Academic selection in her career. Savala played her first three seasons from 2016-18 under coach Krysiak.
