Sarah Willis joined the University of Dayton softball staff in July 2014.
In her first season with the Dayton softball team, Willis helped develop the Flyer pitching staff into the best in the Atlantic 10 and one that was in the Top 25 in several national categories.
In 2015 some of the pitching corps successes included:
• senior Kayla English threw the first perfect game in UD softball program history;
• freshman Manda Cash led the nation in saves, breaking a Dayton single-season record;
• the UD pitching staff led the Atlantic 10 in ERA, opponents’ batting average, strikeouts, shutouts, saves and strikeouts per 7 innings;
• Kayla English was named the 2015 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year, 1st team all-conference and Manda Cash was named the A-10 Rookie of the Year, 2nd team all-conference and to the All-Rookie Team;
• English earned four A-10 Pitcher of the Week honors in 2015;
• Cash earned four A-10 Rookie of the Week and one A-10 Pitcher of the Week honors, as well as earning the final NFCA National Pitcher of the Week honor for the 2015 season;
• UD program single-season pitching records set in 2015: saves (10), wins (39), winning percentage (.736), strikeouts (353), shutouts (12), runs allowed (155), earned runs (118), hits allowed (296), doubles allowed (60), triples allowed (13), homeruns allowed (24).
Coach Willis is attended the NACWAA Leadership Symposium in Baltimore May 20-23 as well as the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy in Denver May 27 - 31.
Willis came to Dayton after two seasons as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State University (2012-14). Her main duties included skill instruction and player physical, mental, emotional development of pitchers/catchers/hitters on a day-to-day basis.
Willis was also the recruiting coordinator for the Redhawks which included communication with prospective recruits and coaches regarding prospects, as well as arranging and hosting official and unofficial visits.
Prior to her stint at Southeast Missouri State University, Willis was an assistant coach at Princeton University from 2010-2012. At Princeton she coached the pitchers, catchers, outfielders and was also the recruiting coordinator. Willis also monitored players' academic progress, organized camps/clinics and other softball events and fundraising programs.
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 collegiate coaching career as a student assistant coach at Texas Tech following her playing career as a Red Raider.
Prior to her coaching career, she pitched at Texas Tech from 2005-2008, where she 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 and was named a Big 12 All-American First Team in 2007. In 2007, Willis had the highest GPA of any female athlete at the school (Texas Tech).
Willis graduated with her bachelor's degree in psychology at Texas Tech in 2008 and went on to earn her master's degree in exercise and sport sciences from Texas Tech in 2010.
