Xen Penny completed his first season as an assistant coach with Quinnipiac softball in 2026, working primarily with the Bobcats' hitters and directing offensive development in areas such as run production, power and bat-to-ball skills. His first season in Hamden coincided with one of the best offensive jumps in program history. Under Penny's guidance, Quinnipiac set a program record with 16 MAAC regular-season victories and finished 24-21 overall, securing the program's first winning season since 2012. The Bobcats also made their deepest postseason run since 2016 by winning three straight games in the MAAC Tournament and advancing to the semifinals. Offensively, Quinnipiac improved its batting average from .232 to .312, its OPS from .634 to .791 and its slugging percentage from .324 to .422. The team also raised its totals in runs, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI.
That production helped seniors Sofia Vega and Kennedy DeMott earn All-MAAC First Team honors, while Ally Hochstadter was selected to the second team. DeMott also received NFCA Division I All-East Third Team recognition. Before joining Quinnipiac, Penny worked as a minor league coach in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization from 2022 to 2023.
