UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Head Coach Amanda Lehotak announced the addition of Jennifer Abrams to the Penn State softball coaching staff Friday, Aug. 19.

Abrams comes to Happy Valley after assisting the Seton Hall Pirates for three seasons and will serve as the Penn State's hitting coach as well as work with catchers, make travel arrangements and manage camps.

"First of all I would like to thank Joe Guthrie for everything he did for our program, stated Lehotak. "He made a positive mark on this program and that will never be forgotten. In looking to fill his shoes, I could not be more excited to add Coach Abrams to the staff. She is perfect fit to our staff. Her determination to be one of the best in the business is contagious. Her passion for the game and Penn State stood out about the rest."

"I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and want to thank Amanda Lehotak for allowing me to join such an amazing program and university, said Abrams. "I am beyond excited and appreciative to become a part of this prestigious community and culture at Penn State."

Serving as the Seton Hall hitting coach for three seasons, Abrams improved eight hitting categories for the Pirates including helping the 2015 Big East Rookie of the Year to finish 20th nationally with 20 home runs in 2015. Most notably, Abrams increased the team's home runs from 27 in 2014 to 60 in 2015, while increasing slugging percentage from .378 to .459 and RBI from 140 to 231. Abrams coached four First Team All-Big East honorees, two Second Team All-Big East honorees and one Big East Rookie of the Year in her three seasons as the hitting coach at Seton Hall. Furthermore, Abrams helped with the outfielders, devising individualized skill workouts.

Prior to her stint at Seton Hall, Abrams was a personal hitting instructor in South Orange, N.J. working with non-prospective student-athletes and managing lessons and clinics. She also worked with coaches for recreation and travel ball teams in order to develop hitting lessons.

Abrams worked as a graduate assistant in the athletic compliance office at Providence College after serving as an intern for the softball team for one season. As an intern for the Friars, Abrams worked closely with the assistant coaches to develop practice plans, travel itineraries and equipment ordering.

Furthermore, Abrams served as a marketing intern at Planet Fastpitch and coached the Polar Crush Elite Softball Program for one season. She also spent time as a camp director at Providence and was a camp counselor at Notre Dame, Fairfield University and Villanova.

As a four-year starter for Providence College, Abrams made 188 starts for the Friars with a .293 career batting average. In her junior season she hit .347 en route to CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District honors and etched her name in the Providence College softball record book after scoring 35 runs and tallying 61 base hits to rank third in single season history for the Friars. Abrams notched All-Big East Academic honors four times and was the Big East Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 2011 and earned the Division I Scholarly Athlete Award.

After completing her four-year softball career, Abrams used her fifth year of eligibility to play field hockey for the Friars where she was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic Squad in 2012.

A native of Boston, Mass., Abrams graduated from Providence College in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in marketing before completing her masters in business administration in 2012.