The first hire made by Larissa Anderson when she took over the program in May 2018, Sara Marino enters her fifth season as a member of the Mizzou Softball Coaching staff in 2023. She was promoted to Associate Head Coach on June 28, 2021, after serving as an assistant with the Tigers since the 2019 season.
Beyond her on-field duties setting the team's defensive coverages and serving as the liaison to academic services, compliance, equipment and travel, Marino was indispensable in a transition year for the Tigers.
Marino served as an assistant coach with Anderson at Hofstra from 2017-18 and played for Anderson from 2008-11.
“I’m beyond thrilled to have Sara join us at Mizzou,” head coach Larissa Anderson exclaimed. “She has the passion, knowledge, dedication, and work ethic I’m looking for with an addition to our staff. Sara had an outstanding playing career at Hofstra and joined our coaching staff two years ago. She played a valuable role in the program winning a conference championship with her ability to effectively teach all facets of the game. Sara is a bright new mind in the collegiate softball world and we’re lucky to have her at Mizzou!”
Marino concluded her first season in Mid-Missouri by leading Mizzou to its 13th-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Tigers, who were predicted to finish last in the SEC entering the season, finished tied for fourth in the conference. Mizzou would reach the final of the UCLA Regional, forcing a decisive game seven against eventual national champion UCLA, being the only team to hand UCLA a loss in the postseason.
At the conclusion of the year, Marino was honored as the Division I Easton/NFCA Assistant Coach of the Year in October of 2019.
Marino again played a crucial impact for Mizzou during the 2020 season. The Tigers finished the season ranked 25th in the NFCA Coaches' Poll, the first time the program has ended the season ranked since 2016. Despite the season being canceled after 26 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mizzou was one of two schools to be undefeated in Southeastern Conference play.
The Tigers returned to prominence in the national scene in 2021 and Marino played a large part in the resurgence. Mizzou went 42-17 on the season, hosting a Regional and Super Regional for the first time since 2013. The Tigers’ .979 fielding percentage set a school record and finished among the top ten nationally. Mizzou finished the season with a No. 13/14 national ranking.
The 2021 team finished among the program’s best statistically in fielding percentage (1st), home runs (1st), RBI (2nd), doubles (T-6th), and runs scored (3rd).
In the postseason, Mizzou pitching led the nation in ERA at 1.37 over six games. Two Tiger pitchers, Jordan Weber and Laurin Krings combined to allow only two hits and no runs over three games at the Columbia Regional. Freshman shortstop Jenna Laird earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors while senior outfielder Brooke Wilmes was recognized as an NFCA Third Team All-American. Anderson led the Tigers to a No. 13 final ranking in the NFCA Coaches' Poll and a No. 14 ranking in the USA Softball poll, the program's highest final rankings since 2015.
Mizzou is coming off a 2022 season where they hosted an NCAA Regional for the second-consecutive year and made the Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship game for the second time in program history. The Tigers notched a 38-22 mark and went 12-11 during SEC play. Mizzou’s pitching staff posted a 2.81 ERA including a 1.00 ERA in the postseason.
In the inaugural year of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Jenna Laird and Casidy Chaumont earned the award at shortstop and left field, respectively.
Laird, a 2022 Softball All-SEC Second Team player, finished the year with a .975 fielding percentage, while turning 10 double plays and did not make an error during SEC play.
Chaumont, an All-SEC Defensive Team Selection, appeared on SportsCenter's Top Ten Plays four times over her career at Mizzou. After beginning her career as an infielder at Louisiana, she converted to the outfield at the start of the 2021 season and finished with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Chaumont has thrown out five runners on the basepaths from left field over her two seasons in the Black and Gold.
Kimberly Wert and Brooke Wilmes were each named First Team All-SEC performers in 2022. Jordan Weber, Jenna Laird, Wert and Wilmes were each tabbed to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Southeast All-Region team. Weber led the Tigers to the SEC Tournament final with a pair of shutouts against No. 17/20 Auburn and No. 13/10 Tennessee. She became the first Mizzou pitcher to record three wins in a single SEC series when she earned the victory in all three games against Kentucky.
Missouri is coming off a 2023 season that saw the Tigers reach a 16th straight NCAA Regional, finishing the season with a 35-26 record and going 7-17 against SEC foes. The pitching staff proved efficient yet again, registering a cumulative ERA of 3.33, including a strikeout/walk ratio of 2.66.
Alex Honnold became the 26th All-American in program history (31 total All-American honors) after earning Second-Team honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
A Top 25 Finalist for 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, Honnold led Mizzou and ranked top six in the SEC for on-base percentage (.539), slugging percentage (.779), runs (52), batting average (.396), and triples (three). Her slugging percentage in 2023 ranked fourth all-time in program history. Honnold also earned NFCA Southeast All-Region honors and was named to the All-SEC Second Team.
Jenna Laird joined Honnold in representing the Tigers on the All-SEC Team, her sixth postseason honor at Mizzou and third-straight appearance on the All-SEC Team. The leadoff hitter paced the Tigers in SEC play with a .291 batting average to go with 14 runs, three doubles, five RBI, .371 on-base percentage, and a .329 slugging percentage.
“I’m so excited to be joining the Mizzou Softball family and be a part of a long-standing tradition of success,” Marino said. “I’m ready to jump on board and work hard to help continue to grow and guide these student-athletes in a positive direction. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the Mizzou Softball program!”
Marino and Anderson garnered 2018 NFCA Division I Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors for their outstanding campaign at Hofstra. The duo helped guide the Pride to a 41-14 record with a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship and a trip to the NCAA Regionals. The impressive 2018 season concluded with a No. 24 ranking, marking Hofstra’s first appearance in the national polls since 2013.
Marino specialized in the development of the Hofstra infielders, as the collective unit achieved two NFCA Northeast All-Region recognitions and two All-CAA accolades. As a team, the 2018 Pride set new all-time program records in total home runs (70), runs scored (334) and RBI (315).
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Marino (Michalowski) enjoyed a standout four-year playing career with Hofstra (2008-11). She jumped onto the scene with a 2008 First-Team All-CAA freshman campaign, starring both at the plate and in the circle for the Pride. Marino concluded her collegiate career with back-to-back NFCA All-Northeast Region Second-Team honors and a 2011 CAA Player of the Year award.
As one of the Pride’s premier players, Marino aided the team to CAA Championships and NCAA Regional appearances in 2008 and 2010. She left the program ranked top-10 in individual career home runs and RBI.
Marino is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she starred for Archbishop Ryan High School prior to joining Hofstra.
