Sara Plourde begins her first season as an assistant coach at Lafayette. Plourde is a 2012 graduate of the University of Massachusetts where she earned five All-America honors in four seasons as a pitcher. In 2012, she led the nation in strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings and fewest hits allowed per seven innings, while ranking fourth in victories with 36 and fifth in shutouts with 13. Plourde finished her career with 1,662 strikeouts, eighth all-time in Division I.

The Atlantic 10 Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year in 2012, she completed her bachelor's degree from the Amherst school in Sociology.

Plourde's talents have taken her to the highest levels of softball, as she currently competes for the Canadian National Team. Plourde is also playing professional softball in the National Professional Fastpitch League, pitching for the New York/New Jersey Comets this season after spending a season with the Carolina Diamonds in Salisbury, N.C. in 2012.

The native of Bristol, Conn. also worked at Planet Fastpitch in Uxbridge, Mass for nearly a year between Sept. 2012 and May 2013. In addition to serving as the pitching coach at Lafayette, Plourde will assist with hitters, catchers, camp administration and recruiting.

"Sara's credentials speak for themselves. She is one of the great pitchers in this game over the past five to eight years and will immediately help our pitching staff succeed," said Lafayette head coach Jexx Varner. "Her championship experience, knowledge from the highest level in the sport, and enthusiasm to work and build a winner made her a perfect choice."