University of Dayton's Harman Accepts Head Softball Position

Sarah Harman, former assistant softball coach at the University of Dayton, has been named the Head Softball Coach for Marion Military Institute.

"We really were impressed with Coach Harman's credentials both on and off the softball field.  She brings a wealth of experience to our program and is the type of leader that we have been looking for at Marion.  I believe that she will be able to build a quality softball program for us here," MMI Director of Athletics, Michelle Ivey, said.

Harman served as an assistant softball coach for Head Softball Coach Cara LaPlaca at the University of Dayton for the last five years.  She was in charge of the pitching staff and coordinated all recruiting activities for the Flyers.   Harman also planned and organized their summer camp program as well as coordinated Softball Alumni events.

While at Darton, Harman's pitching staff improved each year to become a force within the Atlantic 10 Conference.  Her pitchers posted 22 wins in 2011. In 2012, the Dayton Flyers were led by freshman and All-Rookie Performer Kayla English. The Grapevine, Texas native recorded 134 strikeouts in 140 innings of work, the highest ratio in UD history (6.70 per 7 innings).

Following the 2013 season, Harman placed two pitchers onto Atlantic 10 All-Conference teams in Kayla English (Second Team) and Emily Froment (All-Rookie Team). English finished the season ranked 34th nationally in strikeouts/seven innings (8.2) while Alysha Isaacson set a new school record with five saves (11th NCAA). As a team, the Flyers had a 3.63 ERA (the lowest since 2006) and 280 strikeouts in 22 wins.

Three members of the Dayton's 2014 squad were named to the NFCA Division I All-Region team.

Harman joined the West Texas A&M coaching staff in August 2007 as that program's first full-time assistant coach. She worked primarily with the pitching staff, planning and implementing the training of the pitchers and catchers. She also assisted in marketing of home games to generate more attendance by designing an overall plan for home stand games which included local sponsors, gate giveaway and on-field promotions. Harman headed the "Paint the Yard Pink" promotion, a breast cancer awareness game to raise money for research.

From August 2005 to July 2007, Harman served as an assistant softball coach at Norfolk State University where she was in charge of pitchers and catchers while assisting in recruiting and strength and conditioning.

Harman served as a graduate assistant coach at Ball State University from August 2003 through May 2005 after a very successful playing career at Defiance College (2000-03).  At Ball State she was in charge of creating and leading workouts for the pitching staff, acting as game administrator for soccer, volleyball, and field hockey, and assisted with athletic facility scheduling. She graduated with a master's degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports administration from Ball State in 2005. While at Ball State, Harman was a recipient of the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics.

As a player, Harman earned Heartland Collegiate Conference All-Conference first team honors three years as a pitcher for Defiance College. She holds school records for innings pitched (665.1) and games started (103). She is second all-time in strikeouts (381) and third in school history in complete games (72), wins (39) and shutouts (8). Harman also holds the second, seventh and eighth-highest single-season strikeout totals in the program's history. She was named the team MVP her junior and senior seasons, and was named the Defiance Purple and Gold Sportsmanship Female Athlete of the Year in 2003.

Harman, who also played volleyball at Defiance, earned her bachelor's degree in sports management with a minor in recreation in 2003. In October of 2013, she was inducted into the Defiance Hall of Fame for both sports. She was inducted into Port Clinton High School's Hall of Fame on May 8, 2010.

Besides Harman's coaching experience, she has been an active member in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, having graduated (2008) from the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy.  In 2008, Harman was a member of the games committee of the NCAA Division II Softball World Series and acted as a game liaison for the Mid-Atlantic region representative.

A native of Port Clinton, Ohio, Harman begins work immediately finalizing the 2014-15 roster.