DULUTH, Minn. – The College of St. Scholastica Athletics Director Jessica Cherry has announced that Head Softball Coach Rilee Dawson will resign, effective August 3 to pursue other opportunities.
 
Dawson has been part of the CSS softball program for over 20 years first as a player, then as an assistant coach and finally as head coach. Dawson took over for longtime coach Jen Walter in 2015 after being an assistant for eight seasons.
 
"After spending over half of my life at St. Scholastica, it was a very difficult decision to step away, made even harder by the current group of fantastic softball student-athletes, but I feel confident that this is the right time", Dawson stated. "I consider it an absolute privilege to have coached so many outstanding young women at my alma mater alongside a fantastic group of assistant coaches. The Saints Softball program will always hold a special place in my heart. I look forward to continuing to support my fellow Saints as a loyal alum."

Dawson had a successful four-year playing career for the Saints. She 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 and three-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete. Dawson holds the NCAA Division III record for consecutive at-bats with a home run at six. She was named to the program's 25th anniversary team in 2008. In 2018, Dawson became the third softball player inducted into the St. Scholastica Athletics Hall of Fame. She was also a member of the 2004 softball team inducted into the St. Scholastica Athletics Hall of Fame. 

As an assistant for the Saints, 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 and 2014 UMAC Rookie of the Year of the Chrisi Mizera, who was also named the 2015 UMAC Player of the Year.

In her eight seasons as Head Coach, she has led the Saints to four UMAC regular season titles and one NCAA Regional Tournament appearance in 2017. Also during that time, she has coached UMAC Players of the Year Kara Warren (2016), Alexa Bremer (2018), Maggie Schley (2019), Olivia Howe (Scandia, Minn./Forest Lake HS) (2021), as well as, three UMAC Rookie of the Years in Schley (2016), Toni Bishop (2017) and Grace Hadlich (Stillwater, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) (2021). In 2021, Dawson coached Olivia Howe (Scandia, Minn./Forest Lake HS) to one of the best seasons in program history. Howe broke single-season program records for hits (66), batting average (.545), slugging percentage (.950) and tied the single-season record for RBIs (56). She led the team in doubles (17), triples (4) and home runs (8). Howe was named the fourth All-American in program history, earning Third Team accolades for the NFCA. Howe was also named the UMAC Player and Pitcher of the Year.
 
Dawson was named the UMAC Coach of the Year in her first season of 2016 and then again in 2021. Under Dawson, the Saints won 32 games in 2021 for the first time under her watch. The team achieved its second-highest ranking in the NFCA Division III poll at 17th. The team's 32 wins tied for the fourth-most in program history.  Dawson is currently in her fourth year serving on the Division III National Softball Committee.
 
"Rilee has been an integral part of our team, and I've appreciated all the hard work and dedication she has put in throughout the years to the softball program. Including her commitment to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for the past seven years", said Cherry. "All of us at CSS wish her nothing but the best moving forward."
 
A national search will begin immediately.