STAFF

Gentile (pronounced gin-TIL-ee) brings five years of NCAA Division I coaching experience with one year as a head coach at Jacksonville University and four years as an assistant coach at Central Michigan University and EMU. Most recently, she has spent the past seven years as the owner/director of Powerline Softball in Clearwater, Fla. In total, she has tutored 28 NCAA All-Conference, 18 All-Region and numerous high school All-American selections.

As the director of Powerline Softball, Gentile mentored athletes that have gone on to play at more than 30 collegiate softball programs.  She was also a featured speaker at  numerous coaching and player camps around the country speaking to groups as large as 600.

Prior to opening her own company,  Gentile led the Dolphins to a 22-37 record in 2006 as the team’s head coach.  Despite narrowly missing the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament, Janine Palumbo earned second team All-Conference honors, while Beth Glasscock made the All-Freshman team under her guidance.

Gentile, who also served as recruiting coordinator at Eastern Michigan, helped lead the Eagles to their first MAC Tournament appearance since 1999 after posting an 11-12 conference record in 2004. The Eagles also excelled in the classroom by earning National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Team GPA honors after ranking first in the nation with a 3.552 GPA. In her first season, she improved the Eagles’ batting average from last in the conference (.199) to sixth overall (.241) and had two players (Deanna Wisnieski and Nikki Denman) rank among conference leaders in every offensive category.

Prior to coaching at Eastern Michigan, she spent one year as the Director of Softball Operations for the Michigan Sports Academy.

Gentile began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Central Michigan University from 2000-02, where she served as the recruiting coordinator, camp director while also handling fundraising. In three years with the Chippewas, she helped lead the squad to a pair of MAC regular season and tournament championships as well as two NCAA regional appearances. Central Michigan also had 12 All-MAC selections, and five players earned NFCA All-Great Lakes Regional honors.

In her playing career, Gentile was a four-year letterwinner for the University of Michigan and finished her tenure as the career (28) and single-season (13) home run record holder, which was held until 2004. A co-captain in 2000, she earned All-Big Ten, All-Region and All-America honors in 1998 and was the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year in 1997.

Gentile participated in two Women’s College World Series at Michigan, placing fifth in both 1997 and 1998 and was named to the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team in 1997. Along with the Big Ten Freshmen of the Year honor, Gentile earned second-team All-Big Ten accolades in 1997 as well as first-team All-Big Ten and All-Region accolades as a sophomore.

Gentile also went on to play with the USA Women’s National Team from 1996-2000 and was a member of the USA Pan-American Team in 1997 before graduating from Michigan in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. She continued her playing career in the Women’s Professional Softball League (now the National Pro Fastpitch League) after being drafted by the Akron Racers in 2000. She also eared her master’s in athletic administration from Central Michigan in 2005.

A native of O’Fallon, Mo., the 35-year old Gentile played softball at Wentzville High School.

The Melissa Gentile File

  • Name: Melissa “Skeeter” Gentile
  • Born: March 14, 1978 - O’Fallon, Mo.
  • High School: Wentzville H.S. - Wentzville, Mo.
  • College:
    • University of Michigan -  Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology - 2000
    • Central Michigan University - Master’s degree in athletic administration - 2005

Coaching/Playing Experience

  • 2006-13 Powerline Softball Owner/Director
  • 2005-06 Jacksonville University Head Softball Coach   22-37 (6-14 A-Sun)
  • 2003-05 Eastern Michigan University Assistant Softball Coach
  • 2002-03 Michigan Sports Academy Director of Softball Operations
  • 2000-02 Central Michigan University Assistant Softball Coach
  • 1996-00 University of Michigan Four-year softball letter winner

Assistant Coach Kim Burke

The 2013-14 season marks the first year for Kimberly Burke as an assistant coach with the softball team, where she will work primarily with the outfielders as well as work with the Eagles on their baserunning. Prior to coming to Eastern, Burke spent three years as the head coach at Ohio Northern University and served as an assistant coach at both Kent State and the University of Massachusetts.

While at Ohio Northern, Burke coached the Polar Bears to a 71-43 overall record with one NCAA Division III National Championship appearance. During Burke’s tenure, the Polar Bears notched two Ohio Athletic Conference regular season titles, two NCAA Division III regional appearances and one regional title.

Burke was part of the NFCA Division III Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year after leading Ohio Northern to a 31-14 overall record and 14-3 record in conference play in the 2012 season. In her three seasons at the helm with the Polar Bears, Burke coached 14 All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections, six OAC All-Tournament team honorees, one OAC Player of the Year, one OAC Rookie of the Year, ten NCAA All-Central Region selections, seven NCAA Central Regional All-Tournament team members, one All-Central Region Tournament MVP and one NFCA All-American.

Before her three years at Ohio Northern, Burke served as an assistant coach at Kent State University for four seasons. While at Kent State, the Golden Flashes recorded 46 wins in the 2008 season to write their names in the record books for most wins in a single season, along with making a NCAA regional appearance. Burke helped lead the team to two 30+ win seasons, one Mid-American Conference regular season championship and one MAC Tournament Championship in 2008. KSU saw 11 All-MAC team honorees and five all-region selections along with one Academic All-American selection in Burke’s time with the program.

Burke also spent two years as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan University and three years as an assistant coach at UMass. While at UMass the team made two NCAA Regional appearances and set the single season win record with 53 in the 2002 season. In her final year with the Minutemen, Burke garnered Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year accolades while helping the team to an Atlantic 10 season and tournament championship.

Outside of her coaching duties, Burke also served as the national supervisor for Perfect Game Softball in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where she was responsible for scouting and evaluating high school players across the United States.

The Mt. Pleasant, Mich. native attended Mt. Pleasant High School where she was a three sport athlete, participating in basketball, volleyball and softball. She was a three-time all-regional honoree and was named honorable mention all-state as a junior. Burke closed out her senior campaign garnering all-state honors.

Prior to her coaching years, Burke was a member of the Central Michigan softball team from 1998-200,1 where she was named second team all-region and also earned First Team All-MAC honors. In her senior campaign, Burke was named to the MAC All-Tournament team. The former infielder tied for fourth all-time at CMU with 36 career doubles and helped the Chippewas to two first-place finishes in the West division of the MAC during her four year career.

Burke earned her bachelor’s degree in sports studies from Central Michigan in 2001. 

Assistant Coach Courtney Pruner

The 2014 season marks the first year for Courtney Pruner as an assistant coach with the softball team, where she will work primarily with pitchers and corner players. Previously, Pruner spent two years as an assistant coach at Cleveland State University.

While at Cleveland State, Pruner helped coach six players to Horizon League honors including three first team all-conference players and four all-newcomer team honorees. In her first season with the Vikings, Pruner played a major role in the development of Dara Toman, who was named First Team All-Horizon League twice and earned Horizon League Player of the Year honors in 2013 as well as second team all-region and all-tournament team accolades.

Pruner coached Newcomer of the Year and all-tournament team honoree Erica McNew in her final season with Cleveland State, as well as second team all-conference pick Cynthia Woodard and all-newcomer honoree, Susan Knight.

The Akron, Ohio native attended Ellet High School where she was a three sport athlete participating in volleyball, basketball and softball. She was a four-time all-district selection in softball as well as a three-time All-Ohio and all-league player. In her senior season Pruner was named Gatorade Player of the Year for softball.

Pruner was a standout hitter and position player at Ohio State from 2006-10, but was limited in pitching due to a hip injury. While at Ohio State she wrote her name into the record books as she ranks fourth all-time in runs batted in (158), home runs (38) and walks (115). Pruner also ranks seventh all-time in runs scored (129), ties for seventh all-time in games played (225) and ties for eighth all-time in doubles (36).

Not only did Pruner rank in six career categories as a Buckeye, but also has her name in the books for season records, ranking eighth in home runs (12), ninth in runs batted in (46), tied for 23rd in runs scored (27), and 15th in walks (29). Pruner also etched her name in the freshman batting records as she notched four triples, seven home runs, 33 RBI, and 29 runs in her first season for the Scarlet and Gray.

As a player at Ohio State, Pruner was named First Team All-Big Ten twice and named to the all-tournament team one time. She was also named Most Improved in 2007 and garnered the Coaches Award in 2009.

Pruner earned her bachelor’s degree in science and education from Ohio State University in 2010. 

Volunteer Assistant Coach Denis Bausic

Denis Bausick enters his first season as an assistant coach with the Eastern Michigan University softball team in 2013.

Bausick has been involved with local summer softball program. He will work primarily with the catchers and be assisting with infielders.

Prior to working as an assistant coach, Bausick volunteered his time as a volunteer assistant coach and equipment manager for the Eagles.