Jon Ladino enters his third season as head coach of the Holy Cross softball team in 2027.
Ladino guided the Crusaders to 10 wins in 2026 and was crucial in the development in several key players over the course of the season. Holy Cross won its first games of the 2026 season with a doubleheader weep of UMES (Mar. 4). Game one saw senior pitcher, Sophia Roncone, throw her 30th career complete game, striking out 12 batters, and allowing just two hits. The outing gave Roncone her 30th career complete games. Freshman designated player, Bella Nugent, hit a go-ahead two-run double in the top of the fifth inning to help the Crusaders earn their first victory of the 2026 season by a final score of 4-2. Game two featured similar dominance in the circle as freshman pitcher Bridget Mulkeen and Nugent combined for a complete game shutout. Roncone threw her second-straight complete game in game one, striking out five batters, and allowing just two hits over seven shutout innings against FDU (Mar. 6). The Crusaders picked up their first Patriot League win of the season and snapped an 11-game losing streak against the Bison.with a 4-1 win at Bucknell (Mar. 21). Seniors Jenna Alesandrelli and Emma Pietrzak led the team's offense, each hitting home runs. Holy Cross' final wins of the 2026 season came with a doubleheader sweep of New Haven (Apr. 29). Senior pitcher Sophia Roncone tossed her 11th complete game of the season, going seven innings with two strikeouts and four walks while allowing three runs on six hits. Freshman right-hander Bridget Mulkeen delivered a dominant performance in game two, throwing eight shutout innings with five strikeouts while allowing just two hits. Mulkeen turned in her fourth complete game of the year. Her extra-inning shutout against the Chargers marked Holy Cross' first since Megan Yurchick's eight-inning no-hitter against Merrimack on April 12, 2023. Senior Ali Sniegocki was named to the Academic All-Patriot League Team.
Ladino earned his first win as head coach of the Crusaders in the 5-2 victory over Morehead State on opening day in 2025. Holy Cross opened the month of March with a doubleheader sweep at St. Peter's. The Crusaders closed out the year with wins against UMBC (Mar. 7), Stonehill (Mar. 26), Merrimack (Apr. 2), Army West Point (Apr. 13) and Rhode Island (Apr. 24). Anna Brait would be named Second Team All-Patriot League and Ali Sniegocki would be selected to the Academic All-Patriot League Team. Sniegocki would also join Ava Gambichler and Emma Pietrzak on the CSC Academic All-District Team.
Ladino joins the Crusaders after three seasons as the head coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Business Operations at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. His .682 winning percentage ranks as the best all-time in program history, and he also recorded a conference winning percentage of .830. In his time with the Wildcats, Ladino’s team earned a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship and NCAA Regional berth while also totaling 40 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American Scholar-Athletes and averaging a team GPA of 3.73.
During Ladino’s time in Providence, a total of 45 student-athletes were named to the GNAC Academic All-Conference Team – 15 in each of his three seasons.
"I would like to thank Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Kit Hughes, Assistant Director of Athletics Chase Ferguson and the rest of the search committee for this incredible opportunity to lead Holy Cross softball,” Ladino said. “We will strive for excellence in all that we do both on and off the field, with our ultimate goal to build a strong culture focused on respect, team, competition and community. Throughout the interview process, it was evident that Holy Cross is a very special institution with an incredible community, and it is truly a privilege to be a part of Holy Cross and its athletic department. I am excited to get to work and lead an amazing group of young women who strive for excellence."
In 2024, the Wildcats won 22 games and were one of the final four teams remaining in the GNAC Tournament. Eight student-athletes received GNAC All-Conference honors, four of which – Hailey Erickson, Katie Scheid, Caroline Amorelli, and Mackenzie Clee – were honored by the NFCA.
In 2023, the Wildcats won 27 games and secured the top seed in the GNAC Tournament. Eight student-athletes earned all-conference accolades, including GNAC Rookie of the Year Mady Lyons – while both Erickson and Jill Pulek earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Team accolades.
In Ladino’s first season at the helm of the program in 2022, he guided the Wildcats to a 37-8 record (13-3 GNAC), their first GNAC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Regionals. The 2022 Wildcats set the program record for fewest losses during the regular season (six) and established program records for batting average (.398), runs (356), home runs (49), and RBI (323). Johnson & Wales also finished in the top three nationally in average, runs, hits, home runs, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.
A total of eight student-athletes were named to the GNAC All-Conference Team in 2022, including Clee, who was tabbed GNAC Rookie of the Year. Six student-athletes later garnered NFCA All-Region honors, highlighted by Gamble, who also earned NFCA second team All-America honors.
Ladino is no stranger to Worcester, spending the prior four seasons as the head coach at Assumption College. The Greyhounds compiled a 61-53 mark during Ladino’s tenure (44-33 Northeast-10) and qualified for the postseason every year.
Ladino cut his teeth in collegiate coaching at Becker College in 2015, helping the Hawks post a 47-27 (30-6 NECC) record during his two years in Leicester and win the 2016 NECC Championship, the first in program history. He coached both the NECC Pitcher and Rookie of the Year while at Becker and saw seven student-athletes receive first team All-NECC honors and seven grab a spot on the NECC All-Academic team.
From there, Ladino moved on to Regis College, helping the Pride to a 16-13 record in his lone season in Weston in 2017. The program won a record 13 conference games behind six all-conference selections, highlighted by the NECC Pitcher of the Year, Madi McLellan.
During his time in collegiate coaching throughout New England, Ladino has also served as a Title III Academic Coach, Area Director and First-Year Experience Instructor. He graduated from Merrimack College in 2012 with a degree in business administration and later received a master's degree in higher education student administration from Salem State University in 2014.
