Jan Podhorez O’Donnell, Class of 1998

Jan legacy at St. Pius began on the softball field. She was a four-year varsity player and her sophomore year led the Golden Lions to a State Championship in 1995- the school’s first ever season of fast-pitch softball.  As pitcher she had a 26-2 record and an ERA of 0.68. She had 140 strikeouts in 140 innings pitched.

Coach Mike Scirocco compared her to Atlanta Braves pitcher, Greg Maddox, stating “she’s an intelligent pitcher and she’s very tenacious”. Her breakout sophomore year was then followed by two consecutive Region titles. Jan was team captain her Senior year and her outstanding performance earned her recognition as an AJC Player of the Week and First Team All-State selection.

After St. Pius, Jan attended the University of Tennessee, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. Since 2004, she has served at Blessed Trinity High School as a teacher, Assistant Athletic Director and coach. As head softball coach, she has been named “State Coach of the Year” and “Region Coach of the Year”, and led her teams to a state championship, three region titles, a Final Four appearance, and multiple Elite 8 finishes.

Jan has remained deeply committed to her faith and her community. She coaches youth lacrosse and is an active member of St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church.

Jan’s family has a longstanding history with St. Pius- her dad, John, worked here for nearly 20 years, her brother, Jason, worked here for 5 years, her sister, Joni, is a fellow alum, and her late mother Joanne was an invaluable member of the St. Pius X community serving in so many ways. They are all part of the St. Pius family.

Jan represents everything we strive to honor with this recognition — excellence, leadership, and a life lived in service to others. It is with great pride that we welcome her into the St. Pius X Hall of Fame.