HOBOKEN, N.J. (July 29, 2021)  – Stevens Institute of Technology head softball coach Emily Kaczmarek has announced the hiring of Sky Ellazar as an assistant softball coach Thursday. Ellazar joins the program after a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Manhattanville College.

"We are very fortunate to have someone like Sky join our program's coaching staff," Kaczmarek said. "She has played this game at a very high level and her experiences, both as a student-athlete and as a coach, make her a phenomenal addition to our staff. Additionally, she is very educated in the analytic side of the game and I am really excited for our student-athletes to connect with her!"

Ellazar entered the collegiate coaching ranks after a highly successful playing career at the University of Maryland. Originally from Maui, Hawaii, Ellazar earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors following her senior season after leading the Terps in batting average (.319), runs (28) home runs (8), RBI (23), slugging percentage (.525), on-base percentage (.412) and stolen bases (7). A three-year starter, Ellazar is one of just six student-athletes in the program history to earn all-conference honors from the Big Ten, and currently ranks second in the Terps' 25-year history in career batting average (.333). 

"I'm super excited to join the staff at Stevens and work with Coach K!" Ellazar said. "I'm ready to learn and keep building the program to bring more championships back home to the Ducks!"

With the Valiants, Ellazar coached 10 student-athletes that earned All-Skyline Conference recognition and five that were tabbed All-Northeast Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. She assisted with the development of eight first-team All-Skyline selections, including Jayleen Torres, who was named the conference's Rookie of the Year. Over Ellazar's two seasons in Purchase, New York, the Valiants were 27-8, including a 12-3 record in league play. Along with her coaching responsibilities, Ellazar also oversaw team budgets, assisted with the purchase of equipment and supplies, and contributed to the program's fundraising efforts. 

In addition to her burgeoning coaching career, Ellazar has also spent time as a Player Development Technology Intern with the New York Yankees, working directly with the organization's High-A affiliate in the Hudson Valley. While with the Renegades, Ellazar has gained valuable experience in collecting and processing data from programs such as Hawkeye, Rapsodo and Trackman. 

Also a member of the Philippines national softball team since 2016, Ellazar won a silver medal at the 2017 Asian Championships, marking the best finish for the country in 45 years. With Ellazar in the fold, the "Blu Girls" climbed as high as No. 11 according to the World Baseball Softball Confederation rankings and are currently 12th. 

Ellazar graduated from Maryland in 2018 with a bachelor's of science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She earned her Master's in Sport Business Management from Manhattanville earlier this year.

Stevens is coming off a record-breaking 2021 campaign that culminated in the program's first conference championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Ducks went 22-10 and 15-3 in MAC Freedom play, earning 

What They're Saying About Sky Ellazar
"Sky was a phenomenal student-athlete, but beyond that, she is an amazing human being. Her passion for the game is contagious and she will be a great mentor and coach to all the young women she encounters!"
- Tori Tyson, Head Softball Coach, Howard University

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