Softball Coaches
- Coach Billie Jo Blackwell
Head Coach Billie Jo Blackwell enters her ninth season as the leader of the Centenary College Softball team. In her first eight seasons with the Lady Cyclones she has totaled a career record of 97-131-1. She has also led the Centenary program to two WIAC Conference Tournament Championships and has been named WIAC Conference Coach of the Year three times. The Lady Cyclones have also made three consecutive appearances in the Skyline Conference Playoffs, under Coach Blackwell. She has been involved in the game of softball since 1989, and with the Centenary program for a total of 13 years. The first three years coming as a player for the Lady Cyclones (1994-1996).
In addition to being the softball coach, Billie Jo has taken over the Athletic Director’s position within the Centenary College Athletic Department. She is currently working towards her Master’s Degree in Leadership and Public Administration here at Centenary.
- Coach Michelle Burke
Michelle Burke joins the Centenary softball staff this season after two years on the Hiram College staff. Burke was the Head Softball Coach and Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at Hiram for the 2006 season. In addition to her coaching duties, she also served as the Assistant to the Sports Marketing Director. Burke, a 2004 graduate of Centenary College (NJ) with a bachelor's degree in English, was a three-sport letter winner in softball, soccer, and basketball. She was a standout softball player at Centenary, earning All-Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) First Team honors three times, and was named both the WIAC Rookie of the Year and WIAC Player of the Year. Additionally, Burke was an NSCAA All-American, a two-time All-ECAC Metro and ECAC Player of the Week, plus earned a spot on the NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-East Region Second Team. Burke was a two time All-WIAC selection in soccer as well being named Skyline Player of the Week as a senior and was a second team All-WIAC player in basketball. She was named the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Woman of the Year. Burke is a Residence Hall Director at the College and is a native of Pompton Plains, New Jersey.
- Coach Iris Correa
Iris Correa returns for her fourth season as an Assistant Coach with the Centenary Softball program. A 2003 graduate of Centenary, Iris was a three sport athlete for the College in volleyball, basketball, and softball. She was a member of the WIAC Championship teams in 2000 (basketball) and 2001 (softball). She also played on the first team to make an appearance in an NCAA tournament for the College; women’s basketball 2000. Coach Correa brings a great amount of experience to the coaching staff and was a three year letter winner for Coach Blackwell and the Lady Cyclones (1999 – 2003). She was the recipient of the Cyclone award for volleyball in 2000 and was named to the WIAC First Team in softball in 2001. During the season, her main focus is working with the Lady Cyclone outfielders on their defensive approach and alignment during game situations.
Along with her coaching duties with the softball team, Iris is also the Senior Women Administrator and Athletic Academic Advisor for the department. She is a native of Perth Amboy, NJ and now resides in Port Murray, NJ.
- Coach Shannon Jonas
Shannon Jonas begins her fourth season as an Assistant Coach for Centenary College and Head Coach Billie Jo Blackwell. Coach Jonas is a former player (1999-2003) who brings tremendous experience to both sides of the game. While playing for the Lady Cyclones, Jonas had her best season in 2003 as a senior, batting .388 and driving in 14 runs. She sits atop the statistical leader board with a .387 career batting average, 113 hits, and 70 runs scored. She was also one of the stronger defensive players at Centenary during the Coach Blackwell era. She was the recipient of the Cyclone award, the Cardy Gemma Award, and was named Woman of the Year by the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.
Shannon is also employed by Centenary College’s Admissions Office where she is one of the college's five full-time Admission’s Counselors. Jonas is a native of South River, New Jersey and now resides in Flanders, NJ.