Entering the 2024 season, Bridgette Quimpo will start her 11th season at the helm of the Ramapo College softball team and 21st overall in the college ranks. She joined the Ramapo staff in November 2013 as head softball coach and transportation coordinator. During the summer of 2021, Quimpo was named Senior Women’s Administrator (SWA).
A former standout from the University of South Carolina Aiken, Quimpo came to Ramapo after serving a ten-year stint at New Jersey City University (2004-2013), where she led the team to two Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships. She left NJCU as the all-time winningest coach in the 34-year history of the program.
The 2023 squad made the program’s 9th trip to the NCAA Tournament after earning a NCAA at-large bid. They also recorded the program’s 8th season with a 30+ win total finishing 33-14-1 overall. Katie Rygiel was named NFCA Region IV First Team, Avery Bartolomeo and Mahogany Wheeler each earned NFCA Region IV Second Team honors at first base and utility/pitcher respectively. Alexis Corra earned NFCA Region IV Third Team at catcher while senior Nicole Cerasi was named NFCA Region Third Team in the outfield.
Following the 2021 season, Wheeler was named NJAC Co-Rookie of the Year and NJAC Second Team All-Conference while Carli Egan and Jaclyn Monaco also earned NJAC Second Team All-Conference.
In 2019, the team posted their 25th season in program history with at least 20 wins, finishing 22-14 overall and 13-5 in the conference. Erin Fitzsimmons, Jackie Howarth, Carli Egan, Krista Verrino all earned NJAC All-Conference honors while Fitzsimmons, Verrino and Egan also earned NFCA All-Region. Fitzsimmons and Egan also earned ECAC All-Conference honors while Harper Patsko was named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District team. The team also qualified for the NJAC Tournament for the sixth time under her direction.
In 2018, the team earned their third trip (2015, 2017, 2018) to the NCAA Tournament under Quimpo and the program’s eight overall (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008). The program also won 25 or more games for the 18th time as they finished with a 26-15 overall record last season. The Roadrunners also posted a 12-6 NJAC record and finished third in the conference earning the #3 seed in the NJAC Tournament. The team earned an NCAA at-large bid to the Ithaca Regional where they were ranked second in the four-team pod. Off the field, seven Roadrunners earned academic honors from the NFCA as Erin Fitzsimmons, Harper Patsko, Katrina Buczkowski, Kristen Ruggiero, Olivia Mahon, Paige Merle and Shannon Cox all earned a grade point average of 3.5 or better. Patsko was also named Google Cloud Academic All-District First Team & Google Cloud Academic All-America Third Team. Howarth, Buzckowski and Brizek all earned NFCA All-Region honors while Brizek and Howarth were named NJAC First Team All-Conference. Buczkowski, Cox and Ally Spellman also earned NJAC Second Team All-Conference.
In 2017, Quimpo guided her team to a 32-11 overall/17-1 conference record (1st place). The Roadrunners finished as New Jersey Athletic Conference Regular Season Champions heading into the NJAC Tournament. As a result, five players were named NJAC 1st Team (Erin Fitzsimmons, Nicole Mahoney, Harper Patsko, Grace Brennan, and Ally Spellman) and two named to the 2nd Team (Jackie Howarth and Katrina Buczksowki). Erin Fitzsimmons was tabbed NJAC Co-Pitcher of the Year while Quimpo was voted NJAC Coach of the Year. In the NJAC Tournament, Ramapo finished third and learned their fate during the NCAA selection show earning an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament (Ithaca Regional) winning the Ithaca Regional. Five players were named to the All-Tournament Team (Nicole Hernandez, Shannon Cox, Harper Patsko, Spellman) with Erin Fitzsimmons named Ithaca Regional’s Most Outstanding Player. As a result, the Roadrunners advanced to the NCAA Super-Regional in Amherst, NY where the winner advances to the 2017 NCAA Championship Tournament at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma, City, OK. Ramapo bowed out of the tournament losing the best of three series to Amherst. It was the first time Ramapo advanced to the Super Regional round since the NCAA Tournament moved to this format in 2013.
The Roadrunners have made eight NCAA appearances in program history and three under Quimpo (2003, 2007, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2017, 2018). At the conclusion of the 2017 season, Ramapo finished ranked in the final NFCA Top 25 as the #23 ranked team in the nation while the coaching staff was named 2017 NFCA Division III East Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
Quimpo said, “This award means a lot to me because it focuses on an actual staff and not just the Head Coach. It takes an entire team and coaching staff to be successful. My assistant coaches don't usually get the recognition they deserve. They are knowledgeable, loyal, humble, are role models, and work countless hours behind the scenes. They sacrifice so much of their time while offering selfless acts of love and care for our student-athletes. Our staff is family, and it trickles down to our players. This honor goes right back to them and our players because we cannot do it without each other in which this award recognizes that.”
In addition to their success on the field, the softball program was just as successful in the classroom. The softball team was awarded Ramapo’s Team Highest GPA with a 3.46 with nine student-athletes being named NFCA All-American Scholar Athletes. In 2016, the Roadrunners finished 21-15 overall/11-7 conference (4th place). Mikayla Melendez was named All-NJAC 1st Team, while Christina Brizek, Ally Spellman, and Harper Patsko were named to the 2nd Team. Academically, the Roadrunners finished first in the conference with a Team GPA of 3.3 where seven were named NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete.
In just her second season (2015, first full season), Coach Quimpo guided the Roadrunners to their first ever New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament Championship. As a result, Ramapo Softball earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history. Coach Quimpo led her team to a 28-14-1 overall record while finishing second in regular season play with a record of 13-4-1. The team far surpassed the pre-season rankings where the Roadrunners were picked to finish eighth overall as the dark horse in the conference’s “Pre-Season Coaches Poll”. Under Quimpo’s leadership, six players were named to the All-NJAC team including Melissa Moreno, Katrina Buczkowski, Jaclyn Lima, Grace Brennan, Danielle Saporito and Melanie Walling. In addition, three Roadrunners (Moreno, Buczkowski, and Lima) were tabbed National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region. Moreno was also honored as ECAC Division III Metro All-Star.
During the 2014-15 academic year, Quimpo’s players were recognized for their outstanding achievements in the classroom. Seven student-athletes were named to the NFCA All-Academic squad for achieving a 3.5 GPA or higher. Leading the team was Mikayla Melendez, who earned the CO-SIDA Capital One Academic All-District 1st Team across all NCAA Divisions for her combined performance on the field and in the classroom while holding a 3.91 grade point average. The softball team also finished with a 3.25 GPA.
In her first season with the Roadrunners, Quimpo led the team to an 18-17 overall record, 8-10 in conference play. Sophomore Melanie Walling was named All-NJAC 2nd Team, while 11 Roadrunners were named to the NFCA All-Academic squad.
As a player, Quimpo was part of the 2003 ASA National Championship Team with the NJ Divas and is a Two-Time ASA 1st Team All-American while earning a U.S. Olympic Team Try-out. She has been a speaker for various events that include the 2007 Big Apple Frozen Ropes Coaches Convention and the 2009 (NFCA) National Fastpitch Coaches Convention. Active in the professional fastpitch circuit, Quimpo is a national clinician, working numerous camps/clinics alongside US Olympic Softball players, Division I coaches, and professional athletes. Some of her work includes the University of Alabama, Louisiana State University, University of South Florida and more. She has made an impact training some of the top high school athletes in the country.
A 1997 graduate of Carteret High School, Quimpo led her team to the Central Jersey Group II State Championship in 1996. In 2002, she returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach and guided them to the same title. In 2008, Quimpo was inducted into her High School Hall of Fame.
Quimpo is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), and has served two years on the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region Committee.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
“Coach Quimpo transcends the role of a college coach. She encourages her players to be better athletes, students, and people, and provides them with all the necessary tools to do just that. She has made me stronger both physically and mentally and playing for her was an absolute privilege. Her passion, knowledge, and inspiration come together to make an exemplary and irreplaceable person and coach”. – Kim LaPenta, Ramapo 15’
“Coach Quimpo is more than just a coach—she is a mentor, an advisor, a counselor, role model and most importantly now a friend. I have watched Coach change the lives of many people and I am a better person because of her. Anybody who crosses paths with her is truly blessed because if you allow her, she will show you a higher meaning of life the best way she can.” — Christen Hall, NJCU 10’
“The program that Coach Quimpo built is like a factory for building great people, great softball players, responsible adults and a network of family that no one else in this world can feel or be a part of. When you leave her program after four years you are prepared for all (good and bad) that life has to offer and you leave knowing that she will always be a permanent support in your life.” — Susie Matsutani, NJCU `08
“Coach is the definition of a great person. She has taught me so much about softball when I thought I already knew it all. More importantly is the life lessons I learned from her. She definitely has a huge impact on my life and I wouldn’t be who I am today without her. Making me a better player was a small piece of it, making me a better person was the whole picture.”— Lacey Skowronski, NJCU `09
“Coach Bridgette is one of the hardest working, most dedicated coaches I have ever played for. She has the ability to bring out the best in a player. When you play for her, you want to give 100% of your effort because that is what she gives. She believes in you and makes you believe in yourself. It is because of her understanding of the game, her patience, and willingness to help me succeed, that has allowed me to become the player I am today.” — Lauren Gibson (Tennessee 13’; 2013 SEC Player of the Year; NFCA First-Team All-American and U.S. National Team member)
“When I first met Bridgette, I saw her as an enthusiastic coach who was constantly trying to get her team better with a relentless passion. But, what I started to realize the more I was around her was that she was not just increasing the physical abilities of her softball team, but she was also continuously impacting their lives and making them see the better person they could become. By doing this, she wasn't just 'Coach' to her players during the short confines of a season, she instead became a lifelong coach and friend to anyone who was fortunate enough to cross her path.” — Cassie Reilly-Boccia (Alabama 12’; 2012 NCAA Division I National Champions)
“Bridgette Quimpo is the most inspirational coach I’ve ever worked with. She’s positive and encouraging and she pushed me harder than anyone I know. She not only made me a better athlete physically, but mentally and the mental strength she helped me find has been more valuable than ever imagined” — Courtney Liddle (National Pro Fastpitch player)
2023-2024 Season
