Kashow moves west

Temple's Carol Kashow has replaced Linda Carothers as Penn's softball coach. After deciding not to renew the contract of longtime softball coach Linda Carothers, the Penn Athletic Department went shopping across town to find a replacement for the struggling program. It was at Temple University it found Carol Kashow -- an Owls coach since 1991 and head coach at Drexel beginning in 1979. On August 18, she signed on as just the second head coach in Quakers history. Carothers was the inaugural coach when the varsity program was created in 1974. Ivy League play began in 1980, and Carothers led Penn to its best season yet in 1981, 18-4 overall and undefeated in the league. But her overall record has been abysmal. Over her coaching career at Penn, Carothers was 201-323 (.384) and a mere 41-97 (.297) in Ancient Eight play. With her contract expiring after the 1997 spring season, the announcement was made in mid-May not to renew her contract. In August, Kashow signed a multi-year contact. Kashow acknowledges the fact that the softball program needs rebuilding, and Penn athletic director Steve Bilsky has made it clear that success is one of the things he sees on the horizon. "We are looking forward for some great things for her and the team in the near future," Bilsky said in a press release. Like Carothers at Penn, Kashow built the Drexel softball program from scratch. After taking the Temple job, Kashow built the Owls from a perennial middle-of-the-road team to a squad that finished second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the past two years. In addition, three Kashow-led teams have finished in the top 20 in the Northeast region in the past five years. Despite being named less than two weeks ago, Kashow is busy getting accustomed to life at Penn and getting on with the business of rebuilding the team. "I've started a three-prong attack," said Kashow, describing her first few days on the job. "First, I need to get the things done that I need to get done -- meeting the people I'm going to be interacting with on a daily basis, such as the equipment people and the trainers. "Then I need to organize fall ball with the schedule that was left behind for me. And then, just like every program, I'm recruiting." One plus for the new coach is her relationship with Jen Strawley, one of the 1998 captains. Kashow first met Strawley at a softball camp in Princeton, N.J., and after being a camper, returned to become a junior counselor. According to junior Arlyn Katzen, this change was "a long time coming," citing that Carothers's inefficiency at practice hurt the team. "I think it was a talented team," said Katzen, referring to the 1997 squad. "But we didn't play to expectations, and it wasn't the players' fault. "Everyone's happy about the change. We'll have a better-run program and a better attitude." Assistant coach Gayle Remster also exited stage left with Carothers. But the squad hopes volunteer coach Susan Jacobucci sticks around. Penn baseball coach Bob Seddon, who served on the interview committee, also expressed "She was great," Katzen said. "Everyone is hoping that Sue will come back." Penn baseball coach Bob Seddon, who served on the committee which interviewed job candidates, also drew a favorable impression. "She has experience, she's worked in a city, she's local, but she's recruited nationally, and she's a fundraiser," he said. Seddon also expects he will be able to work easily with Kashow, a part of the job that is increasingly important. "I was very happy to be on the committee because I need to work with the softball coach," Seddon said. "It's difficult for us to get anything done unless the girls have it, too."

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