BILLINGS, Mont. - Head coach Jessica Rayman announced Sara Mason has been selected as the Montana State University Billings softball assistant coach announced Thursday. The former NCAA Division I player and coach has been living in Billings, Mont., since 2014 and is looking forward to returning to collegiate coaching.
 
"I am extremely excited to have Sara Mason join the MSUB softball coaching staff," Rayman said. "Her knowledge and experience will be a great asset to the program. Sara has a great background in coaching and I feel she will help to build a strong Yellowjacket softball program."
 
A native of California, Mason was recruited to play for the University of San Diego softball program. A catcher for the Toreros, Mason was a 3-time all-PCSC honoree and a 3-time USD offensive player of the year. Mason finished her career at USD making 182 starts for the Toreros. She hit 159-503 (.302), with 33 doubles, 12 triples, 12 homeruns, 81 RBIs, and 79 runs scored. Her senior season, Mason was named the 2006 PCSC Scholar Athlete of the Year and a 2006 ESPN Co-SIDA Academic All-American.
 
After her time in San Diego, Mason was a graduate assistant for the softball program at Georgia Southern University from 2006-08. After earning her master's degree from GSU, Mason accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where she worked with the Braves before being drawn back west to help build a new NCAA Division I softball program.
 
In 2009, Mason joined the Weber State University softball program as the lead assistant. The Wildcats were adding softball as a NCAA program, and Mason was involved from the ground-up. She was part of a process that recruited a complete new team for the program's inaugural year, and was instrumental in the first two foundational seasons at WSU.
 
Mason earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from the University of San Diego in 2006 and a master's degree in social and political science from Georgia Southern University in 2008.
 
Most recently, Mason has been involved at the Triple Play Academy in Billings, Mont., where she provides individual lessons as well as serving as a youth team coach.
 
"I'm honored to be offered the assistant coach position for MSUB softball," Mason commented on joining the Yellowjacket program. "I love the atmosphere and the competitive expectations of this team, from both the athletes and the athletics department. Coach Rayman has a great vision of where to take this program and I'm really excited to dig in and help put that in motion!"
 
Mason's official start date is Monday, Aug. 29. The 2016 MSUB softball fall season has the Yellowjackets in Missoula for a doubleheader on Sept., 24, followed by the annual home-hosted Fall Ball Tournament at Avitus Group Stadium Oct. 1 and 2.