BABSON PARK, Mass.—Babson College head softball coach Tori Roche '20 announced the hiring of Sara St. Don as the program's new full-time assistant coach on Thursday. 

St. Don comes to Babson after spending the last four months as the softball operations coordinator at Harvard University where  she contributed to the day-to-day operations of the program. It was her third stint in Cambridge having served in the same role for the Crimson from 2018-19 and in 2021-22 before being named as the interim head softball coach at Bates College. 

St. Don led the Bobcats to a 9-17 record during the 2022 campaign after the program had played just 20 games over the previous two seasons due to the pandemic. She recorded the first win of her head coaching career as Bates defeated Centre College, 7-6, on March 22 in Clermont, Fla.

"I could not be more excited to add Sara to our coaching staff and welcome her to Babson," said Roche. "Her passion for the game of softball, past coaching experiences, and enthusiasm to get going will be the perfect fit for our program. She will make an immediate positive impact on our student-athletes and be a great addition for us as we look to continue to elevate the standard of Babson softball this spring and beyond!"

St. Don returned to her alma mater, Saint Michael's College, in the fall of 2022 to start a new role as the director of athletic equipment and game operations as well as serving as volunteer assistant coach in 2024, before spending the 2024-25 campaign as an assistant coach at nearby Bentley University. She focused on player development and specialized in working with the hitters, outfielders and catchers as the Falcons raised their team batting average by 31 points and advanced to the NCAA Tournament before concluding the year at 26-21. 

St. Don got her start in collegiate coaching in 2018 at Newbury College and spent two seasons with the Nighthawks before moving to Massachusetts Maritime Academy as an assistant coach for one season beginning in November 2019. In addition to her collegiate experience, St. Don has held various roles with the Mass Drifters softball club since 2015, most recently serving the Vice President of Operations and a head coach in the program

"I'm thrilled to join Babson as an assistant softball coach and contribute to an already successful program," commented St. Don. "I look forward to collaborating with Tori and the entire staff to help this team reach new heights. I'm eager to connect with the players, support their growth, and build on the strong foundation that makes Babson such a special place.
 
"I am so impressed with the welcoming atmosphere of the entire athletics department and am excited and grateful for this new opportunity."

A 2015 graduate of Saint Michael's with B.S. in business administration, St. Don was a four-year member of the Purple Knights' softball program and served as team captain as a senior. She later earned her master's degree in athletic leadership from Vermont State University Castleton in 2018.