Sydney O'Hara - Softball Coach - Syracuse University Athletics

Sydney O'Hara

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
spohara@syr.edu

Sydney O'Hara, a four-year letterwinner and All-American for the Orange, returned home on July 21, 2021, to join head coach Shannon Doepking's staff as an assistant coach. She is responsible for working primarily with the Orange pitchers but assists in all aspects of the program.

In her three seasons on the coaching staff, O’Hara has helped the Orange earn three Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week honors, including two back-to-back distinctions at the end of the 2024 slate.

In her first campaign as a coach at ‘Cuse, O’Hara led her pitching staff to its lowest ERA since the 2018 season (3.36). She has continued to help the Orange improve in the circle, dropping that number down to 2.87 in 2024.

Most recently, O’Hara led the Orange pitchers to their best campaign statistically since 2018. Syracuse held opposing batters to just a .231 average at the plate, while also tossing 28 wins, including seven shutouts and four-combined wins over #15 Virginia Tech and #14 Florida State.

Prior to making her return to ‘Cuse, O'Hara spent three seasons on the sidelines at Binghamton where she worked with the pitchers. She assisted in recruiting, team travel and meals as well as organizing camps. During her time at Binghamton the Bearcats had six America East All-Conference selections and two All-Rookie team honorees. In her first season at Binghamton, one of her pitchers earned All-Tournament Team honors at the 2018 America East Tournament.

Prior to Binghamton, O'Hara was at neighboring Le Moyne College from 2017-18 during which time she worked primarily with the Dolphins' pitching staff and assisted in working with the hitters, recruiting, scouting opponents, scheduling games and running team camps. In 2018, two of the three Dolphins that earned NFHCA All-Region Second Team accolades were pitchers that O'Hara mentored.

O'Hara's name is synonymous with Syracuse Softball and it is plastered across the Orange record book. She holds the career record for saves (12) and ranks in the top-10 in program history in 19 other career categories. O'Hara's .476 batting average as a senior still remains as the single-season record at Syracuse and her six saves that season and five in 2016 rank No. 1 and No. 2 in program history.

O'Hara was a three-time Louisville Slugger/NFHCA All-Region honoree (2014, 2016, 2017) and was named All-America by both Louisville Slugger/NFHCA (third team) and College Sports Madness (first team) as a utility player/pitcher. O'Hara earned first team All-ACC accolades in 2014 and again as a senior in 2017.