WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Softball head coach Magali Frezzotti announced the hire of three staff members. Joining the coaching staff are assistant coaches Heather Gelbard and Jordyn Rudd and director of operations Casey Bonk.
HEATHER GELBARD
As Purdue's assistant coach, Gelbard will oversee the Boilermakers' offensive efforts in addition to recruitment. Coming off two years at Georgia Southern where she held a similar role, Gelbard was primarily responsible for overseeing the team's hitting, culminating in the program's most triples since 2017, the most walks since 2019 and the most runs scored in a single conference game since 2015.
"I'm excited to welcome Coach Gelbard and her family to West Lafayette," Frezzotti said. "She is a smart, curious, creative and knowledgeable coach with high expectations for Purdue softball. She adds both experience and expertise to our staff and will serve as our recruiting coordinator. Most importantly, she is passionate about serving this generation of student-athletes and helping them reach their potential."
Prior to her time at Georgia Southern, Gelbard was a volunteer coach at South Carolina for two seasons (2019-2021). During her stint, she worked to develop two All-SEC and NFCA All-Southeast Region selections, an NFCA All-American and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans with a primary focus on team defense and hitting.
A former All-ACC and Academic All-American student-athlete at NC State, Gelbard began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Barry University (2007-09), where she guided her team to a DII World Series berth in 2008. She was an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic from 2010-16 before being named head coach at UMBC from 2016-18. Gelbard also served as the interim head coach at Florida International (FIU) for a season before joining the Gamecocks staff as a volunteer coach.
Gelbard graduated from NC State with a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2007. Currently, she owns multiple Wolfpack records, including hits (261), games started (256), at-bats (834). She earned her master's degree in exercise science with a concentration in sports psychology from Barry in 2009.
JORDYN RUDD
A four-time All-Big Ten and three-time All-Defensive Team honoree, Rudd played in every game of her collegiate career at Northwestern (2019-2023). Other honors include 2022 Softball America National Defensive Player of the Year, 2022 Johnny Bench Award which is presented to the best female catcher in the nation, and Rawlings Gold Glove Award. As the first catcher in Big Ten history to be named First Team All-Big Ten in her first three seasons, Rudd closed her career with a .332 batting average, 247 hits, 50 doubles and 297 total bases.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Coach Rudd to our staff," Frezzotti said. "A Gold Glove Winner and a standout five-year starter and leader at Northwestern. Jordyn's softball IQ, leadership skills and winning mentality will have an immediate impact on our program."
A catalyst for success, Rudd guided her team to two consecutive NCAA Regional titles, the Big Ten tournament title (2023) and two straight Big Ten regular-season crowns during her career at Northwestern.
CASEY BONK
Bonk, director of operations, comes to Purdue from Louisville, where she held the same position for the softball program since September 2018. During her time with the Cardinals, Bonk oversaw operational needs for a two-time NCAA Regional program, managing travel and recruitment logistics and budgets while also serving as liaison to all internal and external support staff.
"Casey is a gem in the Operations world," Frezzotti said. "Her experience with high-level softball programs, her organizational and communication skills, and her high standards will help us run an efficient, forward-thinking and tight-culture program. I'm so happy she's a Boilermaker."
Prior to her time with the Cardinals, Bonk spent four seasons (2014-18) as assistant director of media relations at Pittsburgh. In that capacity, Bonk served as primary contact for the softball and volleyball programs in addition to media contact for Pitt gymnastics. During her time with the Panthers, Bonk oversaw the media relations aspects of the gymnastics program's first East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championship in 2015, the softball program's first ACC and NCAA tournament appearances, which included trips to the ACC championship game and regional final (2016) and volleyball's 2017 NCAA Tournament appearance.
HEATHER GELBARD
As Purdue's assistant coach, Gelbard will oversee the Boilermakers' offensive efforts in addition to recruitment. Coming off two years at Georgia Southern where she held a similar role, Gelbard was primarily responsible for overseeing the team's hitting, culminating in the program's most triples since 2017, the most walks since 2019 and the most runs scored in a single conference game since 2015.
"I'm excited to welcome Coach Gelbard and her family to West Lafayette," Frezzotti said. "She is a smart, curious, creative and knowledgeable coach with high expectations for Purdue softball. She adds both experience and expertise to our staff and will serve as our recruiting coordinator. Most importantly, she is passionate about serving this generation of student-athletes and helping them reach their potential."
Prior to her time at Georgia Southern, Gelbard was a volunteer coach at South Carolina for two seasons (2019-2021). During her stint, she worked to develop two All-SEC and NFCA All-Southeast Region selections, an NFCA All-American and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans with a primary focus on team defense and hitting.
A former All-ACC and Academic All-American student-athlete at NC State, Gelbard began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Barry University (2007-09), where she guided her team to a DII World Series berth in 2008. She was an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic from 2010-16 before being named head coach at UMBC from 2016-18. Gelbard also served as the interim head coach at Florida International (FIU) for a season before joining the Gamecocks staff as a volunteer coach.
Gelbard graduated from NC State with a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2007. Currently, she owns multiple Wolfpack records, including hits (261), games started (256), at-bats (834). She earned her master's degree in exercise science with a concentration in sports psychology from Barry in 2009.
JORDYN RUDD
A four-time All-Big Ten and three-time All-Defensive Team honoree, Rudd played in every game of her collegiate career at Northwestern (2019-2023). Other honors include 2022 Softball America National Defensive Player of the Year, 2022 Johnny Bench Award which is presented to the best female catcher in the nation, and Rawlings Gold Glove Award. As the first catcher in Big Ten history to be named First Team All-Big Ten in her first three seasons, Rudd closed her career with a .332 batting average, 247 hits, 50 doubles and 297 total bases.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Coach Rudd to our staff," Frezzotti said. "A Gold Glove Winner and a standout five-year starter and leader at Northwestern. Jordyn's softball IQ, leadership skills and winning mentality will have an immediate impact on our program."
A catalyst for success, Rudd guided her team to two consecutive NCAA Regional titles, the Big Ten tournament title (2023) and two straight Big Ten regular-season crowns during her career at Northwestern.
CASEY BONK
Bonk, director of operations, comes to Purdue from Louisville, where she held the same position for the softball program since September 2018. During her time with the Cardinals, Bonk oversaw operational needs for a two-time NCAA Regional program, managing travel and recruitment logistics and budgets while also serving as liaison to all internal and external support staff.
"Casey is a gem in the Operations world," Frezzotti said. "Her experience with high-level softball programs, her organizational and communication skills, and her high standards will help us run an efficient, forward-thinking and tight-culture program. I'm so happy she's a Boilermaker."
Prior to her time with the Cardinals, Bonk spent four seasons (2014-18) as assistant director of media relations at Pittsburgh. In that capacity, Bonk served as primary contact for the softball and volleyball programs in addition to media contact for Pitt gymnastics. During her time with the Panthers, Bonk oversaw the media relations aspects of the gymnastics program's first East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championship in 2015, the softball program's first ACC and NCAA tournament appearances, which included trips to the ACC championship game and regional final (2016) and volleyball's 2017 NCAA Tournament appearance.