Coaches

Head Coach Dante Fedeli
Dante Fedeli
Head Softball Coach/Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach

Phone: 973-443-8961
Email: dfedeli@fdu.edu

Dante Fedeli recently completed his 17th season at the helm of the Devils softball program. In addition to being in charge of the softball team, Fedeli also heads the FDU-Florham cross country program.

This season, Fedeli led the Devils to the MAC Freedom Championship in a record-setting campaign, which saw several milestones, including a nationally-ranked offenive powerhouse. This year's squad launched a program-record 48 home runs. At the forefront of this season's success was senior second baseman Nikki Caruso, who under Fedeli's tutelage earned NFCA All-American honors and became the program's first ever CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Fedeli led the Devils to four straight appearances in the Freedom Conference Tournament from 2005-2008, the first time it has been done in school history. In 2008, the Devils also qualified for the ECAC Tournament for just the fourth time in team history and won a school record 28 games. The team's 21 wins in 2007 were tied for third most in school history while the 22 wins Fedeli’s team posted in 2005 were tied for second all-time. Those 22 wins did not go unrecognized as Fedeli was named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year. In 2011, Fedeli took his team to the Freedom Conference Tournament once again and was also named Freedom Coach of the Year for the second time.

In the summer of 2006, Fedeli coached a collegiate All-Star team along with his wife, Kate Whalen, that travelled to Australia representing USA Athletes International. The club played in the Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia and captured the Gold Medal in the Blacktown Invitational Tournament. The roster consisted of two of Fedeli’s former players and numerous other players from the Freedom Conference.

Prior to coming to the Florham Campus, Fedeli was head coach at Division I Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, where he guided the program from 1997-1999. From 1994-1996, he served as an assistant coach at regionally ranked Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y.

From 1977-1990, Fedeli was the head coach of the Stamford, Connecticut Flames, an ASA Class A ballclub. During his tenure, he led the Flames to several Connecticut and New England Regional Championships, along with three appearances in the ASA Class A National Tournament in the mid 1980’s.

Fedeli graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in Health Education, while pitching for the baseball team for two years. A native of Stamford, Conn, Fedeli now resides in White Plains, N.Y., with his wife Kate, the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance/Senior Women’s Administrator at Adelphi University.

Stephanie Owsiany
Assistant Softball Coach
Phone: 732-512-7594
Email: sowsiany@mail.com

Owsiany is in her third season on the FDU-Florham softball coaching staff.

A graduate of NCAA Division II Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY, Owsiany starred as a four-year member of the Mavericks softball team, where she earned an athletic scholarship.

Owsiany graduated from Mercy in 2011 with a B.S. in Communication Disorders. In addition to playing softball, she was a member of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association and coached as 12 and under softball team in New Jersey.

Currently, she resides in her hometown of Edison, NJ.

Kelli O'Brien
Assistant Softball Coach
Phone: 973-443-8961
Email: kelli.obrien14@gmail.com

Kelli O'Brien begins her second season as an Assistant Coach with the FDU softball team.

Coach O'Brien assists Coach Fedeli with daily practice plans, initiates the offensive game plan and also serves as the third base coach during games.

O'Brien was a four-year starter at Montclair State from 2010-13, advancing to the NCAA National Championship round during both her junior and senior years. After placing third in the nation during her junior year, O'Brien helped the Red Hawks to a New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship, a Regional title and a fifth place finish all during her senior year.

In addition to coaching, O'Brien serves as the Lead Teacher at the John Kenney Child Care Center, while contributing as a Gym Instructor. Her duties as Lead Teacher include creating age-appropriate lesson plans and maintaining student profile portfolios.

O'Brien graduated from Montclair State in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and currently resides in Edison, N.J.