DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – Assistant Coach Rilee Dawson has been appointed the new Head Softball Coach at The College of St. Scholastica; it was announced on Friday.
 
Dawson who played and graduated from St. Scholastica takes over for the recently departed Jen Walter. Last week, Walter was named the new Head Softball Coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth after coaching the CSS program for 16 seasons.
 
"Jen did a great job with the success of the St. Scholastica softball program and she left it in a great place with Rilee being a huge part of that as a player and a coach over the last 12 years," said Athletic Director Don Olson. "We felt we didn't need to look very far in finding our next head coach. Rilee's passion for the game and her love for St. Scholastica made this a logical choice."
 
Dawson, an Eveleth, Minnesota native, spent the past eight seasons as an assistant for the Saints under Walter. One of her main duties was working with the CSS pitchers. Dawson coached 2013 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Rookie of the Year Rendi Johnson (Bonney Lake, Wash./Bonney Lake HS) and 2014 UMAC Rookie of the Year of the Chrisi Mizera (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS), who was also named the 2015 UMAC Player of the Year.
 
"I'm very humbled and excited for the opportunity to continue to build on the success of CSS softball," said Dawson. "This is a role I've been preparing for over the past eight years. Being a head coach at my alma mater makes it even more special. As a player and assistant coach, CSS softball has provided some of the best experiences of my life. My goal is to provide those same experiences for both present and future Saints."
 
As a player for the Saints from 2004-07, Dawson was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Second Team All-American in 2007. That year, she was also named the UMAC Player of the Year and was on the UMAC All-Defensive Team. She was a three-time All-UMAC choice. Dawson holds the NCAA Division III record for consecutive at-bats with a home run at six. She was named to the program's 25^th anniversary team in 2008.
 
Dawson earned her Bachelor's Degree in Health Science from St. Scholastica in 2006 and later earned her Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy from the college in 2008. Dawson is a member of the NFCA as a 2-star Master Coach.
 
"It's challenging to put into words everything Jen (Walter) has taught me to prepare me for this opportunity," said Dawson. "She's been a coach, a mentor and a friend for greater than a decade. She has undoubtedly had the greatest impact on nurturing my passion for softball and in my journey toward this new role. Our goal will be to win a national championship on the field, while using softball as a vessel to turn young ladies into great people off the field."
 
The Saints have made the NCAA Tournament four times in the past five seasons and have won seven straight UMAC regular season titles. CSS has not lost a conference regular season game the last two seasons and will return three all-region performers from last season.