RENO, Nev. — Nevada Softball has added one of the sport's most accomplished athletes and rising coaching talents to its staff, as Olympic Bronze Medalist and three‑time NFCA All-American Sara Groenewegen joins the Wolf Pack ahead of the 2027 season. Groenewegen will work closely with Nevada's pitching staff and bullpen contributing offensively, all while continuing her training for the upcoming Olympic cycle alongside Pack student‑athletes.

Coach Hayward on Groenewegen: "We are incredibly excited to welcome Sara to Reno. She is one of the best players our game has ever seen and one of the brightest young coaches in softball. Sara continues to train and compete at the highest level, and that commitment to excellence will have an incredible impact on our student-athletes. Sara is an outstanding teacher with a championship mindset, embodying everything we are building here at Nevada, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Wolf Pack."

Groenewegen arrives in Reno after three seasons at Stanford, where she most recently served as the Director of Recruiting and Technology following two years as an assistant coach. During her tenure, Stanford posted a combined 92–30 record and earned NCAA Tournament appearances in both seasons as an assitant coach.

A cornerstone of Team Canada, Groenewegen helped secure the nation's first Olympic softball medal, a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Games, and has been a consistent force on the international stage. She earned All‑World honors at the 2024 Softball World Cup, threw Canada's first perfect game at the 2019 Pan American Games, and was instrumental in Canada's qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.

Groenewegen: "I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the Wolf Pack softball program. I'm excited to coach alongside my Olympic teammate, Victoria Hayward, and contribute to the vision she has for the future of this program. We share a passion for developing student-athletes, and building a championship culture. I look forward to helping our student-athletes reach their full potential, and help bring post season softball back to Reno!"

Her collegiate career at Minnesota remains one of the most decorated in Big Ten history. Groenewegen became the program's first three‑time NFCA All-American, earning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year (2014, 2017), Big Ten Player of the Year (2015), and four All‑Big Ten first‑team selections. She helped the Gophers to three Big Ten Tournament titles and was a three‑time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year top‑10 finalist.

Off the field, Groenewegen excelled academically, earning Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and three Academic All‑Big Ten selections. A native of White Rock, British Columbia, she graduated from Minnesota in 2017 with a degree in sport management.