HAMPTON, Va. – Michael Pelegrino has been named the interim head softball coach at Hampton University leading into the 2014 season, the Department of Athletics announced on Thursday.

Pelegrino, who came to Hampton prior to the 2013 season as an assistant coach, takes over for Trena Peel. Pelegrino was on-staff as the Lady Pirates won their first MEAC tournament championship since 1996.

Prior to coming to Hampton, Pelegrino was the head coach at Saint Peters College.

In 2005, he was an assistant coach at Saint Peters, before becoming the head coach in 2006. In 2007, Saint Peters was picked to come in last in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), but finished second with an 11-5 conference record and qualified for the conference tournament for the first time in eight years.

As a result, Pelegrino finished second in the 2007 MAAC Coach of the Year voting. During the team’s opening-round conference tournament game, Saint Peters fell behind 11-1 to Niagara before coming back to win 13-11 in the biggest comeback in MAAC Tournament history.

Pelegrino was also a successful assistant coach on the high school level in New Jersey. In 1998, he helped Saddle Brook High School win its first-ever state sectional championship, before leading them to another title in 2000.

In 2001 and 02, he helped Immaculate Heart Academy win the Bergen County championship, as well as a state sectional championship in 2002.