Sarah Dawson Last College: UL-Monroe Position: Head Coach Email: sdawson@latech.edu

Since Sarah Dawson's arrival on the Louisiana Tech campus a decade ago, the former All-American pitcher has built the Lady Techster softball program back into a respected and competitive member of one of the toughest non-AQ softball leagues in the country.

On a yearly basis the Western Athletic Conference places multiple teams in the Top 25 and NCAA tournament, including a league-record four in 2008 - the year that Dawson led the Lady Techsters to the WAC Tournament title in Hawaii and to its first NCAA Tournament since the mid-90s.

After inheriting a program in 2003 that had suffered through three straight losing seasons, Dawson slowly began to build it back into shape on the diamond. The rebuilding process wasn't easy and it wasn't fast, but it finally paid dividends in Dawson's sixth year when the Lady Techsters recorded a 37-29 record - the first winning mark in a decade.

That 2008 season culminated with Tech's remarkable run to the WAC Tournament title - the first ever by the Lady Techsters - as Dawson and Co. traveled to Honolulu as the No. 4 seed and responded by winning four one-run games in four days over four Top 25 teams (Hawaii, Fresno State and Nevada twice).

When the final our was recorded in the championship game win over No. 1 seed and 17th ranked Nevada, the Lady Techsters exploded out of the dugout ... just like they had exploded onto the postseason scene. They were far from done though with their memorable run.

Dawson and the Techsters were sent to College Station as the No. 3 seed and promptly upset SEC foe and No. 2 seed Auburn twice before falling to eventual national runner-up Texas A&M in the championship game.

It was the start of a three-year run that saw LA Tech register winning records and fourth-place regular season finishes in the highly-competitive WAC - including back-to-back seasons with winning records in league play.

Even while struggling through a 17-39 mark last year - snapping Tech's streak of three-straight winning seasons - the Lady Techsters showed a never-die attitude under Dawson's leadership. After qualifying for their sixth straight WAC Tournament appearance on the very last day of the regular season - Tech is one of only four teams to qualify for six straight WAC Tournaments - the Lady Techsters entered the event as the No. 6 seed.

Tech responded and shocked everyone by defeating the host and No. 3 seed and eventual NCAA Tournament participant Fresno State 2-0 in the opening game. The Lady Techsters then found themselves in a position to knock off No. 2 seed Boise State the next day but eventually fell 3-2 in a 13-inning marathon.

However, Tech wouldn't go quietly as it defeated Utah State later that night and returned to the diamond for Day 3 of the event before falling 1-0 to Fresno State, ending the Techsters bid for another magical run like that of 2008.

While shattering numerous team and individual offensive records, Louisiana Tech has recorded an impressive four-year run as Dawson continues to rebuild a program that participated in numerous college world series and NCAA Tournaments during the 1980s and early '90s.

Dawson has done it by recruiting her type of players and molding them into winners - both on and off the diamond. During Dawson's tenure at LA Tech, the Lady Techsters have boasted some impressive results ... on the field, in the classroom and around the community.

On the field, Tech has:

• recorded a quartet of top-four finishes in the highly-competitive Western Athletic Conference, including back-to-back-to-back fourth place finishes during a three-year stretch.

• captured the 2008 WAC Tournament title, defeating four Top 25 ranked teams in four days (Tech has posted eight wins over Top 25 teams in the last four years).

• earned a berth in the 2008 NCAA Tournament where it defeated SEC foe Auburn twice before eventually falling to national runner-up Texas A&M. It was Tech's first NCAA Tournament since 1995.

• finished ranked 33rd in the country in the 2008 USA Today/NFCA Division I poll.

• placed 27 players on the All-Western Athletic Conference team, including 16 first teamers.

• placed 33 players on the Louisiana Sports Writers all-state team, including 12 first teamers.

• seen shortstop Amberly Waits become the first LA Tech player to ever win the WAC Player of the Year Award (2009). Waits was also named the LSWA State Hitter of the Year.

• seen pitcher Meghan Krieg shatter numerous single season records, including setting the Techster single season strikeout record (289 in 2011) and career strikeout record (859). The 859 strikeouts also ranks as the third most in WAC history.

• seen Tech record eight of the top nine seasons in home runs, including shattering the program record with 59 home runs in 2009 ( Tech ranked 19th in the country in home runs per game).

Off the field, Tech has:

• had 38 student-athletes earn a total of 80 Academic All-WAC awards, including 10 in 2011

• posted its best Academic Progress Rate (APR) ever with a 1000 in 2008-09.

• recorded hundreds of community service hours, including raising more than $14,000 for the local chapter of DART with the charity softball game against Fresno State in 2009 and 2011.

Dawson, now 14 years removed from her playing days where she was an All-American pitcher at Northeast Louisiana (now Louisiana-Monroe), works tirelessly as a head coach to help mold her players into great softball players, top-notch students and first class citizens.

Part of Dawson's philosophy involves getting her players actively involved in service projects so they learn how to be an integral part of their community. During her time at Tech, Dawson's players have averaged over 200 hours of community service, ranging from visiting nursing homes, working with area churches and helping with the Louisiana Tech student-athlete Halloween carnival.

In addition to community service projects, Dawson incorporates the NCAA's CHAMPS/Lifeskills Leadership Program on a regular basis with her team. Throughout the school year, Dawson arranges speakers to talk to her players about such topics as domestic violence, drugs and alcohol, sexual responsibility, interviewing skills, and other areas that will impact their lives.

Dawson and her coaching staff along with the players instituted a recycling program in the Louisiana Tech Athletic Department.

Dawson also emphasizes education, and it has paid off during her tenure at Louisiana Tech. During the previous nine years at Tech, a total of 38 of LA Tech's student-athletes have earned a total of 80 Academic All-Western Athletic Conference honors, ranking among the most in the league during that time.

The team also recorded its highest single year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score ever with a 1000 for the 2008-09 season.

Dawson, who has compiled a 215-305 record at Tech in her nine years, has also had a positive effect on her players on the playing field during her time at Louisiana Tech. Dawson's competitive spirit rubs off on her players.

She brings that competitiveness and dedication that helped her garner success as a collegiate and professional player to the Louisiana Tech program.

Twenty-seven of her players have earned all-Western Athletic Conference honors, including at least one every year and a program-record five in 2009. Former shortstop Amberly Waits became the first LA Tech player to ever earn the WAC Player of the Year award as she was an easy selection in 2009 after winning the WAC Triple Crown (led league in average, home runs and RBI).

Dawson has also had 33 of her players named to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association all-state team, including Waits who was named the 2009 Hitter of the Year and outfielder Emma Barnes was named the state Freshman of the Year in 2006.

Dawson's effect on her players can be seen in a number of different ways, including their lives following college. Three of her former players are currently or have coached in the Division ranks including current Tech assistant Amber Miles as well as Marla Pinkston and Eric Chernicky.

Prior to coming to Louisiana Tech in 2003, Dawson served as an assistant coach at UL-Monroe from 2000 through 2002 and at Marshall University in 1999.

During her four years in the circle at UL-Monroe, she produced some incredibly impressive numbers that still rank on the NCAA Division I all-time single season and career records list.

In her career, Dawson amassed a record of 120-56 while registering 151 complete games, 1,242.1 innings pitched, 1,280 strikeouts and 74 career shutouts. Her complete games, innings pitched, strikeouts and career shutouts all ranked in the top 10 in NCAA Division I history while her 120 career wins ranked sixth.

In 1997 during her senior season at UL-Monroe, Dawson earned a spot on the Louisville Slugger NCAA Division I All-American first team. During that year Dawson registered 446 strikeouts in 400.2 innings while recording 50 complete games in only 54 starts and amassing a record of 45-10.

She still holds the school record for career victories, lowest earned run average (0.69), inning pitched, strikeouts, shutouts, games pitched, games started and complete games.

She continued to be successful after her collegiate career, joining the Women's Professional Fast-pitch League in the summer of 1997, where she earned the first year league's inaugural Most Valuable Player award, ranking No. 1 in wins (30) and saves (4) and second in shutouts, complete games, earned run average and opponent's batting average.

Dawson earned her bachelor's degree in finance from UL-Monroe in 1998.