UMD Athletics

Rilee Dawson enters her second year at UMD as the Bulldogs' Pitching Coach. In her first year, 2024-2025, Dawson helped the Bulldogs to a top ten Central Regional ranking and saw the pitching staff make great strides. Senior Alison Luoma set career bests in wins, saves and strikeouts while Junior Allyssa Williams set career marks in wins, ERA and strikeouts while garnering an NSIC Gold Glove. 

Before coming to UMD Dawson, an Eveleth, Minnesota native, served for seven seasons as the Head Softball Coach at St. Scholastica 2015- 2022 and before that had worked mainly with the pitchers in her time as an assistant. Among several standouts for the Saints in the circle, 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 first six 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 (2021), as well as, three UMAC Rookie of the Years in Schley (2016), Toni Bishop (2017) and Grace Hadlich (2021).
 
In 2021, Dawson coached Olivia Howe 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 30 games in 2021 for the first time under her watch. The team achieved its second-highest ranking in the NFCA Division III poll at 17^th. The team's 32 wins tied for the fourth-most in program history.
 
Prior to her time as an assistant, 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. 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.
 
In 2018, Dawson became the third softball player inducted into the St. Scholastica Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
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. She recently earned her Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Change.
 
Dawson has also been a visible presence, coaching with local travel ball programs - the Twin Ports Rampage and the Red Corvettes 16U softball team in the offseason. 

Off the field, Dawson is also a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, and she had served as an instructor in the physical therapy department at St. Scholastica.
 
She was appointed to the NCAA Division III Softball Committee in 2020.