Sara Hayes enters her second season as an assistant coach at San Diego State after spending the previous two years as the top assistant at Pacific. Hayes also has four years of experience as a head coach, including a two-year stint at Indiana from 2003-04.
She works primarily with the Aztec hitters, and assists head coach Kathy Van Wyk in all aspects of recruiting.
Hayes, a former star at Notre Dame, immediately helped improve an already strong SDSU offense. Under Hayes, the 2007 Aztecs set school records in batting average (.296), runs (238) and total bases (593). All of this was accomplished despite losing All-American catcher Erin Floros 27 games into the season and playing with a lineup that featured just two seniors.
The 2007 Aztecs also registered seven double-digit run games after recording four the previous season. In addition, SDSU posted 16 double-digit hit contests, up one from the 2006 NCAA tournament squad.
Two freshmen - Brittany Knudsen and Lindsey Marquez - earned all-MWC honors under the tutelage of Hayes. Knudsen batted .386, just percentage points behind Kellie Nordhagen[apos]s school-record .389 average set in 2000. In addition, Knudsen ranked among the school[apos]s single-season leaders in on-base percentage (2nd, .464), runs (3rd, 39), slugging percentage (5th, .524), hits (T-5th, 64),total bases (T-5th, 87), walks (T-5th, 24) and home runs (T-7th, 4).
Marquez had a spectacular MWC season, hitting a team-best .404 with a .558 slugging percentage over 19 games.
Hayes, who helped the University of the Pacific to its 11th consecutive winning season in 2006, came to The Mesa in August 2006. Hayes, a native of nearby Rancho Sante Fe, Calif., had been the Tigers[apos] top assistant coach the previous two seasons, helping the squad to a 56-50 record.
[quote]We are excited to have Sara on the Aztec staff,[quote] Van Wyk said. [quote]She has a great deal of coaching experience at the college level, both as an assistant and as a head coach, and has done a tremendous job wherever she has been. She will be an excellent role model for our student-athletes and will represent San Diego State in the highest fashion.[quote]
[quote]I am thrilled to be a part of the Aztec family,[quote] Hayes said. [quote]San Diego State softball has such a rich tradition and I look forward to furthering the success of the program.[quote]
Prior to going to Pacific, Hayes served as the Hoosiers[apos] head softball coach from 2003-04. She compiled a 51-62 overall record in her two years, including a 32-31 mark in 2004, the team[apos]s first winning campaign since 1996.
Hayes previously served as head coach at Northern Iowa from 2001-02, where she logged a 58-59 record. In 2002, she led the Panthers to their first winning season since 1998, and coached a third baseman to the program[apos]s first All-America first team selection.
As an assistant coach at DePaul from 1996-2000, Hayes helped lead the Blue Demons to a 265-101 (.742) record, five NCAA Regional appearances and two Women[apos]s College World Series (WCWS) bids, the first two WCWS trips in school history. She was part of the coaching staff that was named NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 1999 and NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year in 1998 and 2000.
As a player, Hayes was a standout at the University of Notre Dame as a catcher, third baseman and outfielder. She was the 1995 Midwestern Collegiate Conference Player of the Year and a three-time all-mideast region selection. Hayes was the Irish MVP as a junior and senior when the team earned trips to the NCAA regionals. She left Notre Dame as the school[apos]s all-time leader in 10 offensive categories and the holder of eight single-season school records.
Hayes earned a bachelor[apos]s degree in anthropology from Notre Dame in 1995.