Softball
Sarah Gunderson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- sg4842@columbia.edu
Sarah Gunderson was named joined the Columbia softball staff in August of 2026 and serves as an assistant coach, overseeing the pitching staff.
Gunderson joins Columbia after two seasons as an assistant coach and head recruiting coordinator at Manhattan, where she worked with pitchers and outfielders while overseeing recruiting efforts for the Jaspers.
During her time at Manhattan, Gunderson was responsible for the development of pitchers, outfielders, game mentality, and pitch calling. She helped the program improve its conference overall ERA and batting average against from 2022 levels and recruited several players who earned all-conference recognition, including MAAC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-MAAC honors.
Gunderson also directed recruiting clinics and camps, coordinated recruiting trips and on-campus visits, organized recruiting priorities and analyzed metrics and film using Synergy. She is also proficient in the ARMS recruiting and compliance platform.
Prior to Manhattan, Gunderson spent one season as an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, where she worked with pitchers and outfielders and helped the program capture its first East Coast Conference championship and make its first NCAA Division II Regional Tournament appearance. Her work with the pitching staff contributed to one ECC Pitcher of the Year and two All-ECC selections.
Gunderson began her collegiate coaching career at Rhode Island College in 2022. In her time with the Anchors, she helped develop pitchers and outfielders, producing two All-Little East Conference outfield selections and one All-LEC pitcher. She also helped lower the team's pitching staff ERA from 7.23 in 2021 to 3.95 in 2022.
A former Division I pitcher, Gunderson competed at the University of Rhode Island and Providence College from 2016-21. She earned Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week and All-Rookie Team honors at Rhode Island, was a three-time A-10 Pitcher of the Week and twice ranked among the NCAA's top 20 pitchers in walks allowed per seven innings. She also earned Big East Weekly Honor Roll recognition at Providence.
In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Gunderson has worked as a private pitching and hitting instructor since 2022. She has trained athletes throughout Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey, established relationships with college coaches for recruiting and clinics, and utilized HitTrax to analyze player data and metrics.
Gunderson earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Rhode Island in 2020 and a Master of Business Administration from Providence College in 2021.
Gunderson resides in Ramsey, NJ with her fiancé TJ Ward. Ward is an assistant baseball coach at Army.
Gunderson joins Columbia after two seasons as an assistant coach and head recruiting coordinator at Manhattan, where she worked with pitchers and outfielders while overseeing recruiting efforts for the Jaspers.
During her time at Manhattan, Gunderson was responsible for the development of pitchers, outfielders, game mentality, and pitch calling. She helped the program improve its conference overall ERA and batting average against from 2022 levels and recruited several players who earned all-conference recognition, including MAAC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-MAAC honors.
Gunderson also directed recruiting clinics and camps, coordinated recruiting trips and on-campus visits, organized recruiting priorities and analyzed metrics and film using Synergy. She is also proficient in the ARMS recruiting and compliance platform.
Prior to Manhattan, Gunderson spent one season as an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, where she worked with pitchers and outfielders and helped the program capture its first East Coast Conference championship and make its first NCAA Division II Regional Tournament appearance. Her work with the pitching staff contributed to one ECC Pitcher of the Year and two All-ECC selections.
Gunderson began her collegiate coaching career at Rhode Island College in 2022. In her time with the Anchors, she helped develop pitchers and outfielders, producing two All-Little East Conference outfield selections and one All-LEC pitcher. She also helped lower the team's pitching staff ERA from 7.23 in 2021 to 3.95 in 2022.
A former Division I pitcher, Gunderson competed at the University of Rhode Island and Providence College from 2016-21. She earned Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week and All-Rookie Team honors at Rhode Island, was a three-time A-10 Pitcher of the Week and twice ranked among the NCAA's top 20 pitchers in walks allowed per seven innings. She also earned Big East Weekly Honor Roll recognition at Providence.
In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Gunderson has worked as a private pitching and hitting instructor since 2022. She has trained athletes throughout Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey, established relationships with college coaches for recruiting and clinics, and utilized HitTrax to analyze player data and metrics.
Gunderson earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Rhode Island in 2020 and a Master of Business Administration from Providence College in 2021.
Gunderson resides in Ramsey, NJ with her fiancé TJ Ward. Ward is an assistant baseball coach at Army.
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