Softball head coach Rachel Hanson has stepped down to accept a job as the Executive Director of the Baseball and Softball Education Foundation, director of athletics Bernard Muir announced Tuesday.

“I’m grateful for the experience Stanford has given me to work with amazing student-athletes and peers, and coach in one of the best softball conferences in the country,” Hanson said. “I look forward to the future of Stanford softball and know it’s poised for success. I’m excited about my future with the BASE Foundation and the opportunity to positively impact young lives.”

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, the BASE Foundation is focused on “bringing character and sportsmanship back to the Diamond,” according to their website.

Hanson came into Stanford with a lot riding on her shoulders, as the team had had complications with former head coach John Rittman. After an extensive bout of success, the team found itself crumbling after the departure of Rittman.

Although Hanson did not restore the team’s former glory, she did manage to begin the rebuilding process, which included leading the team and players to win numerous academic accolades.
In 2015, Kayla Bonstrom became the fourth player in Stanford history to receive both NFCA All-America second team honors and CoSIDA Academic All-America second-team recognition.
Stanford also led the nation in Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year selections three years in a row. In 2017, nine players received the honors, five of whom were first-team. Standout Bessie Noll made Cardinal history when she was selected as the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The search is now on for Hanson’s replacement, as the school and the 2017-2018 roster prepare for next year.

Contact Laura Sussman at laura111 ‘at’ stanford.edu.