Fran Troyan - Softball Coach - Lehigh University Athletics

Fran Troyan

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
fgt2@lehigh.edu
Phone:
610-758-4387
Alma Mater:
17th season

Fran Troyan begins his 17th season as head coach of the Lehigh softball team. As head coach, Troyan has an overall record of 538-293-5, a Patriot League record of 237-49, and he has led Lehigh to 13 Patriot League regular season titles, eight tournament titles, and seven NCAA Tournament appearances. Under Troyan’s guidance, Lehigh captured eleven consecutive regular season Patriot League crowns from 1999-2009 and six of the last eight tournament titles. Last season Troyan led the Mountain Hawks back to the NCAA tournament after a one year hiatus. Lehigh rolled through the Patriot League tournament, highlighted by a 14-0 win over host Colgate in the title game. The Mountain Hawks finished with a 33-23 mark and played against WCWS participant Baylor in the College Park, Md. Regional.

In 2010, Troyan guided Lehigh to its tenth straight season with 30 or more victories, while picking up his milestone 500th career victory against Bucknell in April.

The 2009 Mountain Hawks captured their second straight Patriot League tournament crown and advanced to an NCAA Regional Final for the second time in school history. At the NCAA Regional in Gainesville, Fla., Lehigh posted victories over Florida A&M and Texas A&M before bowing to the eventual national runners-up from Florida.

Four years ago, Troyan picked up his 400th career victory and coached three All-League performers including Lisa Sweeney, who was the Patriot League’s Player and Pitcher of the Year, and an Academic All-American.

In 2006, Troyan guided the Mountain Hawks to a 43-14 record including a 19-1 mark in Patriot League play. The 43 victories established new school and league records for wins in a single season. Troyan’s 2006 team also made noise on the national level, twice knocking off No. 13 Texas A&M en route to becoming the first Patriot League team to win its first round NCAA regional game, the first to win two games in a regional and the first to advance to the regional finals. For their efforts, the Lehigh coaching staff was named the 2006 Mid-Atlantic regional Coaching Staff of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

A 1986 graduate of Allegheny College, Troyan earned his bachelor’s in International Studies and later received his law degree from The Dickinson School of Law in 1989. Troyan was an Academic All-America shortstop at Allegheny in 1985, a First-Team All-North Coast Atlantic Conference shortstop in 1985 and 1986, and competed internationally with Athletes in Action.

Troyan came to Lehigh initially as an assistant coach to his wife, Sue, in 1990 and became head coach in 1995. In his 21 seasons on South Mountain, Lehigh has won 16 regular season Patriot League Championships and 11 Patriot League Tournament Championships. As head coach, he has produced 29 Regional All-Americans, including four in the last three years. He has coached two Academic All-Americans (Jenny Bender ’03 and Lisa Sweeney ’09) and 101 All-Patriot League selections. Troyan is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, winning the award in 1997 and 2005 sharing it in 2007. In addition, Troyan periodically provides legal advice to the Lehigh Athletic Department.

Fran and Sue reside in Bethlehem, with their daughter Katie (17), and sons David (14) and Matthew (12).