CAREER WRITE-UP
Bridget Rafter entered her first season as the Head Softball Coach at FDU-Florham in 2021.
The 2023 season was filled with highs and lows as the team collected many critical wins, such as the extra inning, 8-6 comeback win against TCNJ, during the Myrtle Beach Fast pitch dreams classic. Rafter and the Devils saw a record of 15-16 overall and a record of 6-10 in MAC Freedom. During play 120 RBI were collected as well as a batting average of .281 percentage and defended the diamond with a fielding percentage of .958 percent, with 121 strikeouts.
Rafter's toughest game may have been the Storm Split game where Devils hosted Arcadia for a double header. With a 4-2 win the first game the Devils' heat wave was cooled with a storm, postponing the game. Towards the end of the season the game became more critical to win as the race for the MAC Freedom Tournament became tighter. The Devils were able to fight through and pull out the 4-3 win in nine innings.
The Devils were able to see the MAC tournament in the 2022 season, but was cut short of a championship as they were sent home by Stevens. Despite the post-season disappointment, the Devils and Rafter managed a 12-15 overall record with a roster of 14 student-athletes. Rafter coached through and saw wins against multiple MAC Freedom team including Stevens, Aracadia, Wilkes, Delaware Valley, and DeSales for a 8-8 MAC Freedom record. The team statically record a .331 hitting percentage, with 204 hits and defended with a .944 fielding percentage with 96 strikeouts.Â
Rafter and the Devils made an appearance in the MAC Freedom Tournament in the shortened 2021 season and pushed Delaware Valley University to a third game in the opening round.
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Prior to arriving on the Florham campus, Rafter spent three seasons as an Assistant Coach on the Metro Campus with the Division I Knights. During her time on the Metro campus, Rafter helped lead the Knights program to 35 wins, including a 12-win improvement in 2018, her first year with the program.
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Prior to coming to FDU, Rafter spent the 2017 season as an assistant coach at NYU and helped the Violets to a 19-19 overall record and a berth in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship Tournament. Under her guidance, three Violets earned postseason recognition, with two First Team All-UAAÂ honorees and one Second Team All-UAA selection. The Violets excelled in the classroom as 11 players earned UAA Spring Sport All-Academic honors and 12 were named to the Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee (IAAC) Spring Honor Roll.Â
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A 2015 graduate of Susquehanna University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcasting and media, Rafter was a four-year member of the Crusaders’ (now River Hawks) softball team and spent her freshman year as a member of the Susquehanna Women's Soccer Team. She earned First Team All-Landmark Conference honors, NFCA Division III Scholar-Athlete accolades and was a member of Susquehanna’s Landmark Conference Championship team in 2013. That 2013 season saw Susquehanna win 40 games and finish the season ranked nationally by the NFCA.
Rafter completed her Master's Degree in Sports Administration at FDU, while she worked as an assistant coach on the Metro Campus.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Head Softball Coach, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham (2021-Present)
Assistant Softball Coach, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Teaneck (2018-2020)
Assistant Softball Coach, New York University (2017)
HONORS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2022 MAC Freedom Coach of the Year
One MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Year selection
One NFCA All-Region Third Team selection
Three MAC Freedom Postseason Tournament appearances
One ECAC Postseason Tournament Appearance
24 All-MAC Freedom Conference selections
Three All-UAA Conference selections
PLAYING CAREER
Played softball at Susquehanna University (2012-2015)
One First-Team All-Landmark Conference selection
Helped lead Susquehanna to a Landmark Conference Championship
EDUCATION
Bachelor's degree in Broadcasting and Media from Susquehanna University (2015)
Master in Sports Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University
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