Bowling Green State University Athletics
Sarah Willis Named Head Softball Coach
July 01, 2015 | Softball
Dayton Assistant Takes the Helm at BGSU after Helping the Flyers to a Record-Setting Season
Bowling Green State University Director of Athletics D. Christopher Kingston has announced the hiring of Sarah Willis as head softball coach of the Falcons. Willis comes to Northwest Ohio after a highly-successful stint on the staff at the University of Dayton.
"It's an honor to lead the softball program at Bowling Green State University," said Willis. "I would like to extend my thanks to Chris Kingston, (search committee chair) Jim Elsasser, and President Mary Ellen Mazey for entrusting me with this great opportunity. The Falcons have an exceptionally rich academic and athletic tradition and I welcome the opportunity to unite in the efforts to achieve national prominence for the BGSU softball program.
"This is a great university that plays in an extremely competitive softball conference. I am thrilled to be a Falcon now and ready to meet our team and hit the ground running."
During the 2015 season, her first with UD, Willis helped the Flyers to a 39-14 overall record and an Atlantic 10 Conference mark of 20-2. UD broke the school record for wins in a season, and the Flyers earned the first A-10 regular-season title in program history. Dayton also advanced to the A-10 Tournament Championship final for the first time in history.
"We are so proud to welcome Sarah to the Falcon Family as the leader of the BGSU Softball program," said Kingston. "She rose to the top in a competitive field of candidates because of her energy, attention to detail and thorough understanding of what it takes to prepare these young women to excel academically and compete at the highest level."
Willis worked with the Flyer pitching staff, achieving tremendous success in '15. The staff led the conference and ranked among the top-25 in the nation in several categories. UD led the league in wins, saves (10), winning percentage (.736), strikeouts (353), shutouts (12), fewest runs allowed (155) and fewest earned runs allowed (118). The Flyers also surrendered the fewest hits, doubles, triples and homeruns of any A-10 team in 2015.
The Willis-led pitching corps included the 2015 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year in Kayla English, as well as the A-10's Rookie of the Year in Manda Cash. English earned all-conference first-team honors, while Cash was named to the second team. Â Additionally, English was named the A-10 Pitcher of the Week on four occasions, while Cash earned four A-10 Rookie-of-the-Week honors. Cash set the school single-season saves record, leading the nation in that category, and she earned the final NFCA National Pitcher-of-the-Week honor of the 2015 season.
Willis joined the Dayton program after spending two seasons (2012-14) as an assistant coach as Southeast Missouri State University. She also spent several years (2010-12) as an assistant coach at Princeton University. Willis coached the pitchers, catchers and outfielders at Princeton, and her duties at SEMO included skill instruction and player physical, mental and emotional development of pitchers/catchers/hitters on a day-to-day basis.
Willis was the recruiting coordinator for both the Tigers and the Redhawks.
In 2012, Willis spent the summer with the North Carolina Diamonds of the NPF where she coached along with Teresa Wilson, one of the top pitching instructors in the nation. Willis assisted in skill instruction and management of pitchers, catchers, outfielders and offense along with helping develop individualized training programs for the athletes.
Willis began her coaching career as a student assistant coach at Texas Tech University, her alma mater. She pitched for the Red Raiders from 2005-08, and finished her career with 22 wins and 298 strikeouts in 113 appearances. She was named to the Texas Tech dean's and president's honor lists. In 2007, Willis had the highest GPA of any female athlete at the school.
Willis graduated from Texas Tech in 2008, with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She went on to earn her master's degree in exercise and sport sciences from TTU in 2010.
"It's an honor to lead the softball program at Bowling Green State University," said Willis. "I would like to extend my thanks to Chris Kingston, (search committee chair) Jim Elsasser, and President Mary Ellen Mazey for entrusting me with this great opportunity. The Falcons have an exceptionally rich academic and athletic tradition and I welcome the opportunity to unite in the efforts to achieve national prominence for the BGSU softball program.
"This is a great university that plays in an extremely competitive softball conference. I am thrilled to be a Falcon now and ready to meet our team and hit the ground running."
During the 2015 season, her first with UD, Willis helped the Flyers to a 39-14 overall record and an Atlantic 10 Conference mark of 20-2. UD broke the school record for wins in a season, and the Flyers earned the first A-10 regular-season title in program history. Dayton also advanced to the A-10 Tournament Championship final for the first time in history.
"We are so proud to welcome Sarah to the Falcon Family as the leader of the BGSU Softball program," said Kingston. "She rose to the top in a competitive field of candidates because of her energy, attention to detail and thorough understanding of what it takes to prepare these young women to excel academically and compete at the highest level."
Willis worked with the Flyer pitching staff, achieving tremendous success in '15. The staff led the conference and ranked among the top-25 in the nation in several categories. UD led the league in wins, saves (10), winning percentage (.736), strikeouts (353), shutouts (12), fewest runs allowed (155) and fewest earned runs allowed (118). The Flyers also surrendered the fewest hits, doubles, triples and homeruns of any A-10 team in 2015.
The Willis-led pitching corps included the 2015 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year in Kayla English, as well as the A-10's Rookie of the Year in Manda Cash. English earned all-conference first-team honors, while Cash was named to the second team. Â Additionally, English was named the A-10 Pitcher of the Week on four occasions, while Cash earned four A-10 Rookie-of-the-Week honors. Cash set the school single-season saves record, leading the nation in that category, and she earned the final NFCA National Pitcher-of-the-Week honor of the 2015 season.
Willis joined the Dayton program after spending two seasons (2012-14) as an assistant coach as Southeast Missouri State University. She also spent several years (2010-12) as an assistant coach at Princeton University. Willis coached the pitchers, catchers and outfielders at Princeton, and her duties at SEMO included skill instruction and player physical, mental and emotional development of pitchers/catchers/hitters on a day-to-day basis.
Willis was the recruiting coordinator for both the Tigers and the Redhawks.
In 2012, Willis spent the summer with the North Carolina Diamonds of the NPF where she coached along with Teresa Wilson, one of the top pitching instructors in the nation. Willis assisted in skill instruction and management of pitchers, catchers, outfielders and offense along with helping develop individualized training programs for the athletes.
Willis began her coaching career as a student assistant coach at Texas Tech University, her alma mater. She pitched for the Red Raiders from 2005-08, and finished her career with 22 wins and 298 strikeouts in 113 appearances. She was named to the Texas Tech dean's and president's honor lists. In 2007, Willis had the highest GPA of any female athlete at the school.
Willis graduated from Texas Tech in 2008, with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She went on to earn her master's degree in exercise and sport sciences from TTU in 2010.
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