History: First Women’s Softball Coach Named at CIU

History: First Women’s Softball Coach Named at CIU

CIU welcomes first women's softball coach

CIU's first women's softball coach

The first women’s softball coach in the history of Columbia International University has a decade of NCAA coaching and playing experience.  

Coach Sara Allen comes to CIU from Montana State University Billings (NCAA II) where she served as assistant softball coach. She has also served as an assistant softball coach at Weber State University (NCAA I) in Ogden, Utah and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (NCAA II).    

Allen played collegiate softball at the University of San Diego where she was a three time all-PCSC (Pacific Coast Softball Conference) honoree and a three time University of San Diego offensive player of the year with a career batting average of .302. During her senior season, Allen racked up two awards: the 2006 PCSC Scholar Athlete of the Year and a 2006 ESPN CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-American.

CIU Athletics Director James Whitaker says Allen has the ability to connect and challenge young women entering a new program.

“Sara brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in softball and she has an extreme passion for coaching,” Whitaker said.

With the first season of CIU Rams women’s softball scheduled for the 2018-2019 academic year, one of Allen’s first priorities is recruiting.  

“More than anything I'm excited for the young ladies who will be CIU's first softball team,” Allen said. “I'm also excited to start all the traditions and develop the culture that will characterize Rams softball. Softball is growing like crazy around the country, so I am really looking forward to leading CIU into competition on the ball field.” 

If you would like to play women’s softball for the CIU Rams, call (800) 777-2227, or email yesciu@ciu.edu. Find our more about CIU athletics at ciurams.com