Nike Softball Camp George Fox University

• Getting to Know Jessica Hollen, Q & A.
• Softball Tip: Always Have A Plan.
• Softball Tip: Step up to the Plate with a Confident Plan

The Bruin softball team earned their ninth straight winning season under Hollen and qualified for their seventh straight NWC tournament appearance. Freshman Sydney Sandifer became the first Bruin to earn NWC Rookie of the year, while six other Bruins were named All-Conference. Sanifer, Ashley Davis, and Sharon Tomei all also grabbed NFCA All-Region nods.

Hollen guided the Bruins to their eighth straight winning season and a 28-11 overall record in 2021. The Bruins earned their first solo Northwest Conference title and Hollen was honored as the NWC Coach of the Year. Claire Fountain and Ashley Davis were honored as Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, by the NWC coaches, and Fountain and Savannah Vargas were each named NFCA First Team All-Americans, while four Bruins made the NFCA All-West team and seven were named All-NWC.

In a COVID-19-shortened season, the Bruins notched a 10-5 record in 2020. Allison Meyer was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American for the third year in a row, grabbing the honor in each season that was she was eligible to be named. The quartet of Meyer, Roni Braun, Aaliyah Kautz, and Savannah Vargas concluded their career on the field as a group with 43 mentions in the Bruins' record books as perhaps the most decorated quartet in the program's history. During their tenure, under Hollen's guidance, the Bruins made three NWC Tournament appearances, one NCAA Regional appearance, earned one NWC regular-season championship, and notched a 91-49 record in their careers.

George Fox notched its sixth consecutive winning season in 2019 after finishing the year with a 26-16 overall mark and a 17-11 record against NWC opponents. The Bruins made their fifth straight showing at the NWC Championships and made it to the NWC Tourney semifinal game. Hollen's 2019 team had six players named All-NWC, including first-teamers Alyssa Gonzalez and Allison Meyer, and Meyer was again named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. During the year, Gonzalez set a single-season record for batting average (.427), and the team broke new ground for season records in team average (.333), team doubles (86), and team home runs (71).

The Bruins recorded their best season to date in 2018 as the squad set a program-best in wins (35), led the NCAA in home runs (68, 1.48/game), claimed a share of the NWC Championship, and reached the NCAA Division III West Regional for the second time in school history. The Bruins finished the season with an overall record of 35-11 and a conference record of 24-4. Hollen recorded her 200th win on March 31 against the Loggers of Puget Sound in a 5-inning 9-0 victory. The Bruins recorded their first-ever NWC Pitcher of the Year (Madison Sorensen), placed eight players on the All-NWC team, four players on the NFCA All-Region team and Allison Meyer was named Google Cloud Academic All-America. On the team side, the Bruins set the school record in strikeouts (227), home runs (68), RBIs (303), runs scored (333), hits (411), doubles (75) and batting average (.324).


In 2017, the Bruins recorded their fourth straight winning season with an overall record of 20-17. They also achieved their third straight Northwest Conference Tournament appearance with a conference record of 13-15. Weather wasn't kind to the Bruins, as the team was forced to cut six games out of its original schedule. Madison Sorensen and Annie Veatch were both named to the All-NWC first-team list.

In the 2016 season, the Bruins made their first-ever NCAA Division III Softball Tournament appearance in the West Regional. The Bruins continued their road of firsts with a win over No. 1 seed Claremont Mudd-Scripps, 5-2, in the first round. The Bruins posted an overall record of 31-16, which tied the 2015 squad for most wins in program history. They also graduated the best senior class in program history – Amanda Woods, Courtney Howard, Kat Hylton and Kayla Anderson, who finished their four-year career with 103 wins. Before they earned an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins made their second straight appearance in the Northwest Conference Tournament. As the No. 2 seed, the Bruins managed a way to get back to the Championship game after falling in game one of the tournament. The Bruins collected six All-NWC accolades.

After setting a new team record for most wins in a season in 2014, the 2015 squad did it again, breaking the program record with an overall record of 31-13. The Bruins finished second in the Northwest Conference standings and made just their second appearance in the Northwest Conference Tournament. As the No. 2 seed, the Bruins made it all the way to the Championship game after falling nearly to Linfield College, 4-3. Hollen was named 2015 Northwest Conference Coach of the Year and had seven players honored with All-NWC accolades. She collected her 100th career victory on March. 1, 2015 over Puget Sound in a 16-7 - 5 inning game. She also had two players named to the All-West Region Second Team.

In 2014, the Bruins finished 24-16 on the season and 13-15 in the Northwest Conference. Hollen's team passed the 1994 team (21-8) setting a new team record for most wins in a season. George Fox finished tied for fifth with Pacific Lutheran University and missed the Northwest Conference Tournament by one game. The Bruins had five players honored with NWC accolades and will return four the five players to the 2015 season.

George Fox remained competitive in 2013 as the Bruins went 18-22 overall and 15-13 in the conference, this time finishing fifth and just one game out of a tournament spot. The Bruins recorded season sweeps of Puget Sound and Lewis & Clark, took three of four from playoff-bound Whitworth, and took a game from defending national champion Pacific Lutheran. Rookie shortstop Kayla Anderson became Hollen's first All-NWC First Team selection and was the first Bruin to be honored past the conference level since 1994, being named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region Third Team. Her career record after five seasons now stands at 68-131 (.342).

Hollen's rebuilding efforts began to bear fruit in 2012 as the Bruins went 20-22 overall and again went 15-13 in the conference, finishing fourth in the NWC after being picked for sixth and earning a berth in the four-team NWC Tournament, where they were eliminated with losses to No. 1-ranked Linfield and Willamette. It was the Bruins' first post-season appearance in 18 years. Included in their regular-season highlights were four-game sweeps of Puget Sound and Pacific in conference play, a victory over NAIA national power College of Idaho, and two one-run losses and a win over eventual NCAA Division III national champion Pacific Lutheran. The Bruins' tremendous improvement caught the attention of league coaches, who awarded Hollen with her first NWC Coach of the Year selection.

"I was excited to receive the Coach of the Year award; it is always rewarding to be recognized by your peers," admitted Hollen. "It is a testament to the hard work of my coaching staff as well as the dedication of our players."

Taking over a program that hadn't had a winning season since 2001, Hollen led the Bruins to a 5-32 overall record and a seventh-place finish in the NWC at 3-23 in her inaugural year of 2009. The following season, the Bruins improved dramatically to 13-27 overall and 7-21 in the conference, again finishing seventh. Beset by injuries to four key players early in the 2011 season, the Bruins went 12-28 and 6-22 in the NWC for another seventh-place showing.

Hollen began her softball career as a player at North Salem (Ore.) High School, but even then took an interest in the coaching side, assisting her high school pitching coach with private lessons by working with the younger pitchers. In college, she played for a season at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, then transferred to Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore., and earned Junior College All-America honors as a sophomore.

Hollen's coaching career started in 2004 with a year as an assistant softball coach at Chemeketa. She served as the varsity softball coach at Stayton (Ore.) High School in 2005-06 while completing her bachelor of science degree in history at Western Oregon University, which she received in 2006. She then returned to Chemeketa as the co-head coach for the 2007 season. After attending the Willamette University College of Law, she spent a year as a law clerk in the office of the Marion County District Attorney but decided to return to coaching when the George Fox position became available.

Hollen is married to John Hollen, a former baseball player at Corban University, who serves as one of her assistant coaches. During her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing and camping. The Hollens are members of the Newberg Foursquare Church and have two daughters, Riley May and Kinley Grace.

Honors

2012 Northwest Conference Coach of the Year

2015 Northwest Conference Coach of the Year

2018 Northwest Conference Coach of the Year

2021 Northwest Conference Coach of the Year

GFU Milestones

1st win - 5-4 vs. Eastern Oregon, 2/20/2009

50th win - 3-1 vs. Whitworth, 4/15/2012 (second game)

100th win - 16-7 - 5 innings vs. Puget Sound, 3/1/2015 (second game)

150th win - 10-7 - vs. Lewis & Clark, 4/17/2016 (first game)

200th win - 9-0 - 5 innings vs. Puget Sound, 3/31/2018 (first game)

250th win - 12-2 - vs. Lewis & Clark, 3/20/21 (first game)

300th win - 4-1 - vs. Whitworth, 4/15/22 (first game)

Hollen oversees the infield, defense, and hitting drills, and acts as third base coach for the team on game days as lead assistant coach. He also has recruiting responsibilities for the Bruins.

When he is not coaching at George Fox, John spends his time working as a Deputy Sheriff. He earned a degree in history from Corban University in 2006, where he also played baseball for the Warriors.

Prior to coaching at George Fox, Hollen coached baseball at North Salem High School.

The Hollens are members of the Newberg Foursquare Church and have two daughters, Riley May and Kinley Grace.