Leslie Kanter

Head Coach

In her 28th season as the University of Tampa head softball coach, Leslie KanterHear how to pronounce Leslie Kanter has built the program into a consistent threat to challenge for the Sunshine State Conference championship. At the helm, she has compiled a 675-455 record with 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. She is one of just three SSC coaches to have reached the 600-win mark.

In 2021, The Spartans ended the season on an eight-game win streak, finishing with a record of 18-4. Tampa had a team batting average of .266. Lauren FantoneHear how to pronounce Lauren Fantone was named the SSC Freshman of the Year.

The 2020 season was stopped halfway through the season due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Prior to the season stoppage, the Spartans had a 19-9 record through 28 games played. Tampa was also 9-3 in the Sunshine State Conference. UT had a team batting average of .278 while only allowing opponents to hit .221. Corynn MinerHear how to pronounce Corynn Miner led the team in both pitching (108 IP, 0.84 ERA, 102K) and batting (17 R, 14 RBI).

Tampa went 34-13 (22-8 SSC) in 2019 and reached the NCAA South Regional. Tampa played exceptionally at the end of the season and had a 19-game win streak that lasted from 3/9 to 4/18. The Spartans were 16-5 at home during the season. UT pitched exceptionally well and had a combined team ERA of 1.30. Ace Pitcher Makaleigh DooleyHear how to pronounce Makaleigh Dooley had a 28-8 record with a 1.02 ERA and 231 K in 253 IP.

She led her Spartans to their second straight Sunshine State Conference championship in 2015, and fourth overall. She coached Julia Morrow to SSC and South Region Pitcher of the Year honors while advancing to the program's fifth straight NCAA tournament.

Under Kanter, Tampa had a dominating pitching season in 2014, led by the duo of Kayla Cox and Julia Morrow. Cox was the SSC and South Region Pitcher of the Year while Morrow was the national leader in ERA. The Spartans finished the season with an overall record of 33-8 while winning the SSC with a 19-5 league mark. The team was ranked throughout the season, achieving the program's best-ever ranking at No. 2.

The 2013 season was a year where the program was ranked all season and earned a selection to the NCAA South Regional. Kanter coached Kayla Cox to first-team All-American honors as she became the program's first National Pitcher of the Year. The nation's ERA leader also garnered SSC Pitcher of the Year laurels while hurling seven no-hitters during the season.

In 2012, the Spartans finished 37-8 and advanced to the NCAA South Regional for the second straight year. UT also achieved its second consecutive ranking in the final NFCA top-25 poll, showing at No. 12. The Spartans were in the national rankings for the entire 2012 season, including a No. 5 showing for three of the final four installments. She also guided pitchers Deanna Henriott and Kayla Cox to All-American honors, marking the second and third Spartans in program history to be named to the elite group.

Kanter led her Spartan squad to the program's second straight appearance in the 2009 NCAA South Regional. In 2008, she guided UT to the regional final for the first time in program history. UT finished the 2008 season ranked No. 12 in the nation in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, representing the lone final ranking for Tampa. UT spent a total of eight weeks in the 2008 national top 25, marking another first.

In 2007, Kanter led her squad to a 29-20 overall record as the Spartans equaled a school record with a 10 game winning streak. She also guided her team to four victories over nationally-ranked opponents. That season, Kanter helped Devlin Dougherty become the sixth player in UT history on the all-South Region team.

When Kanter first arrived in Tampa for the 1995 season, she inherited a team that had won just 13 games and was predominantly rostered by walk-ons. In 1997, her program received an injection of new scholarship funds and her ensuing recruiting efforts reflected the improvement. In 1998, the Spartans posted their first winning season in four years and were rewarded with four all-Sunshine State Conference selections, including a sophomore and two freshmen recruited by Kanter.

In 2000, her team equaled a then-school record for victories with 28 and posted a winning SSC ledger. Following the successful 2000 season, the Spartans continued to improve as they won the 2001 Sunshine State Conference Championship and posted a 33-16 record, shattering the school’s previous record for victories in a season. In that same year, Kanter’s squad was ranked in the NCAA II poll for just the second time in school history at #25.

In 2002, UT reached its highest-ever national ranking at number four after jumping to a 10-0 start with victories against four nationally-ranked teams. In just its second NCAA Tournament appearance, Tampa won its first two NCAA Tourney games, posting a 2-2 record in the South Regional. During the regular season, Tampa had its first perfect game pitched by Christy Exizian.

Prior to taking the helm of the women’s softball program in 1995, Kanter was an assistant coach to Michelle Lamont from 1990-93 and was on staff when the Spartans won their previous school record of 28 games, finishing second in the Sunshine State Conference behind national champion Florida Southern.

During Kanter’s tenure as an assistant coach at UT, the Spartans recorded a five-year streak of winning seasons, earned the school’s first national ranking in softball at No. 18 in 1992, and produced a conference Co-Player of the Year.

Kanter earned all-area and all-sectional honors in three years while playing at the University of South Florida and in 1986, she earned All-Region and first-team All-America honors.

In 2003, Kanter received the highest recognition from her alma mater when she was inducted into the USF Hall of Fame in 2005. Kanter was also inducted into the USSA Softball Hall of Fame in November of 2007, which is known as the highest honor in the sport.

In June of 2005, Kanter coached the United States to a gold medal at the Maccabiah Games (Jewish Olympics) in Israel.

Career success

Sunshine State Conference Championships (four): 2001, 2012, 2014, 2015

NCAA Tournament Appearances (11): 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019

Major Awards

All-American (10)
2019 - Makaleigh DooleyHear how to pronounce Makaleigh Dooley (NFCA first team, D2CCA second team)
2018 - Makaleigh DooleyHear how to pronounce Makaleigh Dooley (NFCA Second team, D2CCA honorable mention)
2015 - Julia Morrow (Daktronics third team)
2014 - Kayla Cox (NFCA second team, Daktronics first team)
2014 - Julia Morrow (Daktronics third team)
2013 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics first team, NFCA first team)
2012 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics first team)
2012 - Deanna Henriott (Daktronics second team, NFCA third team)
2011- Deanna Henriott (Daktronics second team)
2003 - Lacinda Norman (NFCA second team)

National Pitcher of the Year
2013 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics)

All-South Region (22)
2019 - Makaleigh DooleyHear how to pronounce Makaleigh Dooley (D2CCA first team, NFCA first team)
2018 - Makaleigh DooleyHear how to pronounce Makaleigh Dooley (NFCA first team, D2CCA First Team)
2015 - Julia Morrow (Daktronics first team)
2014 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics first team, NFCA first team)
2014 - Julia Morrow (Daktronics first team, NFCA first team)
2014 - Meagan Burke (Daktronics second team)
2014 - Lindsay Dring (Daktronics second team)
2013 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics first team, NFCA first team)
2012 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics first team, NFCA second team)
2012 - Deanna Henriott (Daktronics first team, NFCA first team)
2012 - Becky Vyzas (NFCA second team)
2011- Deanna Henriott (Daktronics first team, NFCA second team)
2011- Susan Jallo (NFCA second team)
2011- Becky Vyzas (Daktronics second team, NFCA second team)
2009 - Becky Vyzas (Daktronics second team)
2008 - Deanna Henriott (Daktronics first team)
2007 - Devlin Dougherty (Daktronics first team)
2004 - Lacinda Norman (NFCA second team)
2004 - Becky Testin (NFCA second team)
2003 - Lacinda Norman (NFCA first team)
2002 - Kristen Abbott (NFCA second team)
2002 - Christy Exizian (NFCA second team)

South Region Pitcher of the Year (four)
2015 - Julia Morrow (Daktronics)
2014 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics)
2013 - Kayla Cox (Daktronics)
2012 - Deanna Henriott (Daktronics)

Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year
1993 – Shannon Abarbanel

Sunshine State Conference Pitcher of the Year (six)
2019 - Makaleigh DooleyHear how to pronounce Makaleigh Dooley
2018 - Makaleigh DooleyHear how to pronounce Makaleigh Dooley
2015 - Julia Morrow
2014 - Kayla Cox
2013 - Kayla Cox
2012 - Deanna Henriott

Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year
2012 - Meagan Burke

2021 - Lauren FantoneHear how to pronounce Lauren Fantone

NFCA National Pitcher of the Week
2015 - Julia Morrow

CoSIDA Academic All-District (20)
2018 - Erica MatichHear how to pronounce Erica Matich
2015 - Meagan Burke, Jenna Halper
2014 - Meagan Burke
2014 - Kayleen Boatwright
2014 - Kayla Cox
2014 - Jenna Halper
2013 - Katie Bannon
2013 - Kayleen Boatwright
2013 - Meagan Burke
2013 - Kayla Cox
2013 - Stacy Piagno
2013 - Brie Walton
2012 - Deanna Henriott (first team)
2012 - Brie Walton (first team)
2011 - Deanna Henriott (first team)
2011 - Kari Walsh (first team)
2011 - Cassie Barnes (second team)
2010 - Kari Walsh (first team)
2007 - Kelly Glover (second team)

Capital One Academic All-American (three)
2014 - Kayla Cox (first team)
2014 - Meagan Burke (third team)
2013 - Kayla Cox (third team)

NFCA Scholar-Athlete (six)
2011 - Katie Bannon, Kayleen Boatwright, Chelsey Brooks, Meagan Burke, Stacy Piagno, Brie Walton

Awards and Honors

SSC COACH OF THE YEAR (four)
2002-2003, 2009-2010, 2013-2014, 2019-2020

Milestone wins

Milestone Wins
600, Feb. 23, 2018, def. Rollins, 2-0
500, March 11, 2014, def. Adelphi, 6-0
400, March 21, 2011, def. Hillsdale, 8-0
300, Feb. 19, 2008, def. Salem International, 1-0
200, Feb. 28, 2004, def. North Alabama, 10-4
100, April 19, 2000, def. Eckerd, 9-0
1, Jan. 27, 1995, def. Goldey-Beacom, 8-0