A few months after finishing her playing career on Tucker Field,
Cassie Hayes has moved from the locker room to a coach's office as the interim assistant softball coach.
"I had planned and hoped ever since I got on campus that I would have the opportunity to finish my Master's degree and be a graduate assistant," said Hayes of her new title. "When the position as interim assistant coach opened up, I was thankful for the opportunity to work alongside (Head) Coach (Todd) Humphry.
"Cassie came along at the right time," said Humphry. "It was a no-brainer win for us. She's a great kid and will bring excitement and energy to the team."
Understanding the difficulty in moving from directly from teammate to coach, Hayes thinks positively of the new relationship. "Even as a teammate, we helped each other become better players - so to be considered their coach, I don't think much will change in that aspect," said Hayes. "I want what's best for them just like I have in the past and I will encourage them on just as I did as their teammate."
Serving as a team captain last season, Hayes believes that leadership role will help her work effectively with Coach Humphry. "I was able to collaborate and share ideas from a player's perspective. Growing on that this year as a colleague, I think we'll have even better communication and work together really well."
Hayes finished her career as a Lady Lion with 158 hits - good enough for eighth place on the career leaderboard - while also making two trips to the NAIA Softball World Series final site as a player.
