Former Kent State and Saint Francis head coach Jessica O’Donnell is reportedly under consideration for the fourth assistant job with the college softball program at Maryland. She has previously faced allegations of abuse at each of her last two stops.
The allegations date back to 2018.
O’Donnell’s former college softball players described a coaching environment that characterized by intimidation, excessive control and degrading comments, as well pressure to compete through significant injuries. They discussed their concerns with Pagie Durrenberger of Softball on SI.
Jessica O’Donnell is in the mix at Maryland.
A native of Pasadena, Maryland, Jessica O’Donnell began her college softball career as a player at the Community College of Baltimore in Catonsville (CCBC). She earned all-conference and all-region honors before she transferred to the University of Maryland at Baltimore County (UMBC), where she was a three-year starter at shortstop before her graduation in 2010.
And then it was time to transition from player to coach.
O’Donnell started her coaching career at CCBC and with the Florida Pride professional team in 2011. Other stops include Villanova and Francis Marion. Saint Francis offered her the first opportunity as a head coach, and she won more than 78% of her conference games with two 40+ win seasons. Kent State brought her on in 2023.
However, O’Donnell lasted only three seasons before she stepped down in June. A press release cited her child’s upcoming surgery and a transition to an administrative role with the university.
Now, more than four months later, O’Donnell is reportedly in the mix for the fourth assistant job at the University of Maryland. Her candidacy was first reported by Durrenberger and Softball on SI.
Her former college softball players allege abuse.
Unfortunately, Jessica O’Donnell’s tenure as a head coach is marred by concerning allegations, which are explained in full by Paige Durrenberger in an article published to Softball on SI. Lets start with Saint Francis.
Her former athletes allege that they were routinely punished with demanding workouts, including extended runs in extreme heat, and were primarily evaluated on their attitude, effort and loyalty to the program. Those who did not meet the expected marks could face additional punishment beyond what their teammates were asked to endure.
Other athletes allege that O’Donnell created division with the locker room by appointing “team leaders.” Those team leaders effectively served as moles for the coaching staff. Players were scared to speak freely around the team leaders because they did not know what would or would not be shared with the coaches. They also claim that the head coach encouraged them to reveal personal insecurities that were used against them.
Elliott Sanders made the most serious allegations. She played for O’Donnell from 2021-2023. Sanders suffered serious injuries in a car accident. O’Donnell allegedly treated her differently when she returned to the program because she was not fully recovered and referred to her as “selfish,” “ungrateful,” and a “cancer.”
The allegations at Kent State are similar.
Star pitcher Abbey Pochie claims that she was pressured to keep playing despite a grade 4 tibial stress fracture that placed her in a medical boot with crutches. Another pitcher alleged that she was forced to ignore medical restrictions and keep throwing while dealing with severe back and shoulder pain. A different player said that she hid her back pain out out of fear of retaliation. She was later diagnosed with a fractured vertebra.
Other former players at Kent State describe similar rules to those at Saint Francis. They claim O’Donnell used a similar system of extensive punishment and surveillance. You can read the full details here.
A statement of denial.
Jessica O’Donnell released the following statement to Softball on SI. She wants to set the record straight from her own perspective.
“I have always been, and always will be, a supportive, encouraging, and caring coach. Do I have high standards? Absolutely. Most successful coaches do. I expect a lot from my athletes because I believe in what they are capable of, and that belief has been a big part of the success I’ve had as a coach.
“But I have never, and will never, put winning above the physical or emotional well-being of an athlete. My players mean the world to me outside of my own family. Anyone who says otherwise simply doesn’t know me or the kind of coach I strive to be.
“I’m the coach who will spend days at the hospital with a student-athlete after a car accident. I’m the coach who will drive a student-athlete to a Doctor appointment. I am the coach who will drive to campus at midnight because a student-athlete is struggling with their mental health and needs someone there. Those things may not show up on a scoreboard, in a win-loss record, or in a stat book, but they are a huge part of who I am as a coach.
“I care deeply. I expect a lot. I’ll push my athletes because I believe in them, but I will always care about the person before the athlete. I have a lot of pride in preparing our young women for life after softball. Caring as much as I do does not make me a bad coach. It’s a big part of what makes me the coach and person I am.”
It will be interesting to see how Maryland decides to proceed. There is no doubt that O’Donnell is a successful and well-traveled coach who wins college softball games. How do the Terrapins view the allegations?