Xen Penny Named Softball Assistant Coach

HANOVER, N.H. — Dartmouth softball head coach Hillary Smith announced the hiring of Xen Penny as an assistant coach Monday, Aug. 18, adding a hitting specialist with professional and Division I coaching experience to her staff.

Penny joins the program after spending the fall of 2025 through the 2026 season as hitting coach at Quinnipiac University, where his work with the Bobcats' offense contributed to one of the most successful seasons in program history. Under his direction, Quinnipiac's team batting average rose from .232 to .312, its on-base percentage climbed from .310 to .369, and its slugging percentage improved from .324 to .422. The offense scored 86 more runs while cutting its strikeout total from 210 to 102, and the Bobcats finished first in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) in team batting average, ranking 66th nationally. Individually, one Quinnipiac hitter finished 59th nationally in batting average, and multiple players ranked among the toughest in the country to strike out.

"I had the opportunity to coach alongside Xen at Quinnipiac, where he served as our offensive coach and was involved in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, player development, practice planning, scouting, camps, and day-to-day operations," said Smith. "Beyond the numbers, Xen is an exceptional teacher of the game. He has an outstanding ability to simplify hitting, build confidence and develop meaningful relationships with student-athletes. He is someone I trust completely and believe will have a tremendous impact on our program."

Before arriving at Quinnipiac, Penny spent two seasons (2022-23) as a minor league hitting coach in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, working across the Complex League, Low-A, and High-A levels. He managed a group of 15 hitters at the Low-A level, served as the everyday hitting coach for newly drafted players, and collaborated with fellow coaches on game strategy and player development plans. He also spent time learning Spanish to better communicate with players throughout the organization.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to join the staff at Dartmouth," said Penny. "I am thankful for Coach Smith believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I am so excited to be at such a prestigious place. The future is bright."

Penny's coaching career began in instruction roles at WOW Factor in Memphis, Tenn., and Next Level Academy, where he worked one-on-one with athletes on hitting mechanics, strength, and agility, and helped develop marketing materials to grow the coaching business.

Penny played college baseball at Rowan College at Burlington County in Pemberton, N.J., where he earned second-team All-Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) honors, and Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa.