California State University - Sacramento Women's Softball

Lori Perez completed her 12th season as Sacramento State’s head coach in 2025, and 21st on the Hornets’ coaching staff.  Perez has 25 years of experience at Sacramento State, including four seasons as a player (1999-02), nine years as an assistant coach (2005-13), and 12 seasons as the head coach (2014-pres.). During Perez’s 12-year tenure as head coach, the Hornets have combined for a 305-268-2 overall record and a 122-71 mark in the Big Sky Conference. That includes a pair of Big Sky championships in 2018 and 2023.  In fact, the Hornets have finished third place or better in the league standings in 10 of her 11 completed seasons at the helm (2020 was not finished because of the pandemic). That includes a second place finish in both 2024 and 2025. Most recently, the 2025 squad finished 27-23 overall, 10-5 in conference, and set nine single-season program offensive records.  Sacramento State has posted at least 27 wins in four consecutive seasons, and six of the last seven. The 2023 squad finished 27-20 overall, 10-5 in the Big Sky, and claimed a share of the Big Sky regular season title. Perez’s vision for the program became reality in 2018 when the Hornets won both the Big Sky Conference’s regular season and tournament championships while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Sacramento State, which finished the season 31-20 overall and 14-7 in league, won its first Big Sky title since the league began sponsoring softball in 2013. In addition, the NCAA Tournament appearance was the program’s first since 2008, and the fourth since Sacramento State joined the Div. I ranks in 1990 (1993, 1995, 2008, 2018). The 2018 season also marked the Hornets’ first league title since the program won the Pacific Coast Softball Conference title in 2008. For her efforts, Perez was named the Big Sky’s Coach of the Year. Since Perez became head coach, the team has racked up 86 all-conference selections. Among those were four right-handers who received Big Sky Pitcher of the Year accolades - Marissa Bertuccio in 2022 and 2023, Savanna Corr in 2019, Celina Matthias in 2016 and 2018, Caitlin Brooks in 2014 and 2015. This past season (2025), the team placed 10 players on the all-conference team, most for the program since 2014. Academically, the softball team currently has a 3.28 team grade point average. In addition, of the 54 players that have expired their eligibility during Perez’s tenure as head coach, all 54 have graduated. During her time as an assistant coach, Perez was influential in numerous areas of the program, including recruiting, serving as the team’s pitching coach and first-base coach, working with the catchers and infielders, as well as many other duties. In her 21 seasons on the coaching staff, Sacramento State has combined for a 242-136 conference record, good for a .640 winning percentage. Perez oversaw the pitchers from 2005-2024, and during that time, Hornet hurlers accounted for 25 all-conference selections. At least one pitcher earned some form of all-league recognition in 19 of those 20 seasons, and the staff led the Big Sky in ERA in 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024, while finishing second three straight years from 2015-17, and 2021-22.  A Sacramento State player has been named all-Pacific Region eight of the last 11 completed years. That includes a program-record three in 2022 - Lewa Day (2nd team), Marissa Bertuccio (3rd team) and Lexie Webb (3rd team). In fact, Bertuccio received all-region accolades three straight seasons (2022-24), becoming just the second Hornet to accomplish the feat during the program’s Div. I era. Prior to her coaching stint at Sacramento State, Perez was the lead instructor at Kelly Jackson’s All-American Softball School in West Sacramento, Calif., from 2003-04. She also spent time as the head varsity coach at Center High School (Antelope, Calif.) for two years (2003-04).   During her playing days, she was a four-year starter for the Hornets and remains the program leader in career fielding assists (495). The Petaluma, Calif., native appeared in 196 games (including 190 starts) at second base, shortstop and third base during her four-year tenure as a student-athlete at Sacramento State.   A team captain during both her junior and senior seasons, she earned all-Big West Conference honors in 2001 and started all but one game during her final two years with the program. Perez, who resides in Sacramento, graduated from Sacramento State in the fall of 2002 with a degree in communication studies, and completed her master’s degree in recreation administration in the fall of 2011. Perez has two children, Caroline and Jimmy. 

Vicky Rios completed her eighth season with the Hornets in 2025. After one year as assistant coach, she was elevated to associate head coach in 2019 and has spent the past seven years in that capacity. With 25 years of collegiate coaching experience and over 27 years as a professional softball instructor, Rios is heavily involved with coaching the Hornet hitters and defense, as well as recruiting and scouting. This past season (2025), Rios oversaw the top offense in program history. Not only did the team finish the season 27-23 overall and 10-5 in the Big Sky Conference, the Hornets set nine offensive single-season records. That includes batting average (.314), on-base percentage (.387), slugging percentage (.547), runs (293), home runs (67), doubles (80), RBIs (271), total bases (698) and stolen bases (74). Eight Hornets hit above .300 in 2025, and six of those players were named to the all-conference team. That included the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year (Lafulafu Malepeai .382), and the Big Sky Freshman of the Year (Madison Evers-Lyles .378).  The team has hit at least .288 each of the last four seasons, including .290 in 2024, .291 in 2023, and .288 in 2022. In 2023, she helped coach the Hornets to a Big Sky Conference regular season championship, a 27-20 overall record and 10-5 league mark. Sacramento State, which had nine players selected all-conference, hit .291 as a team and five regulars hit better than .320. During Rios’ eight-year tenure, the Hornets have a 203-171 overall record and 70-45 in league play. Rios was part of a coaching staff that guided the Hornets to the 2018 Big Sky regular season and tournament championships while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Sacramento State, which finished the season 31-20 overall and 14-7 in league, won its first Big Sky title since the league began sponsoring softball in 2013. In addition, the NCAA Tournament appearance was the program’s first since 2008, and the fourth since Sacramento State became a Div. I member in 1990 (1993, 1995, 2008, 2018). A combined 54 Hornets have been named all-conference during her tenure, and a program-record three were named all-Pacific Region in 2022 - Lewa Day, Marissa Bertuccio, Lexie Webb. A Hornet hitter received Big Sky Player of the Year honors in both 2024 (Day) and 2018 (Suzy Brookshire). This past season, Sacramento State placed 10 players on the all-conference team - most since the 2014 season. Rios has been a private hitting and defense instructor in the Sacramento area, and her students have played in numerous Div. I conferences, including the Pac-12, Mountain West, Big West, Big Sky, West Coast, Conference USA and the SWAC. Prior to her arrival with the Hornets, she had assistant coaching stops at UC Davis (2011-14), Sacramento City College (2009-11) and Riverside City College (2008-09). Rios also spent five years as the associate head coach at UC Riverside (2003-08), and spent two years as an assistant at Cosumnes River College (2001-03) and San Jose State (1999-01). The Sacramento native began her extensive coaching carer as head coach at Santa Clara from 1997-99. She has been a professional softball instructor/clinician since 1995. While at UC Davis, Rios coached infield, hitting and slap hitting while also being involved with recruiting, fundraising and team travel. She helped coach the Aggies to a combined 70 wins over her three seasons. She held the same duties during her two years at Sacramento City College, and helped coach the Panthers to a Big 8 Conference championship in 2010 and a second place finish in 2011. Prior to her tenure at Sac City, Rios was an assistant at Riverside City College during the 2008-09 academic year. In addition to her duties as a physical education professor, she served as the coach for infield and hitting. During the 2009 season, Rios and the Tigers made the first state championship appearance in program history. She began her collegiate playing career at Sacramento City College, earning team MVP and all-state honors while helping the Panthers capture the Camino Norte Conference title and finish third at the state tournament as a freshman. In 1992, she helped Sac City to conference and state championships, earning all-league and all-state accolades. She also served as team captain and won the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award both seasons. Rios transferred to Cal State Northridge in 1993, where she was named honorable mention all-WAC and helped the Matadors win the league title and reach the College World Series. As a senior in 1994, she capped her career by leading the Matadors to another WAC championship and a second place finish at the College World Series. Once again, Rios garnered all-WAC honorable mention accolades and received her team’s most inspirational and outstanding defense awards. Following her collegiate career, Rios was drafted to play in the Women’s Professional Softball League. She also played on a women’s select team that competed against international teams such as China, New Zealand, Taipei and Canada. Rios earned a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia in 2010, and bachelor’s degree in recreation from Cal State East Bay in 2001.

Marina Demore enters her second season as Sacramento State’s assistant coach in 2026. Demore, who has 11 years of coaching experience at the Div. I level, serves as the Hornets’ pitching coach. A native of Vancouver, British Colombia, Demore also has five years of experience as a pitching coach. Last season (2025), in her first as pitching coach with the Hornets, Demore saw three of her pitchers post a sub-3.50 ERA. In fact, each of those pitchers received some form of all-conference recognition, including Caroline Evans (1st team), Kennedie Magorian (2nd team) and Alexa Ortiz (honorable mention).  It marked the first time in program history the Hornets had more than two pitchers named all-Big Sky Conference. That included a team ERA of 2.29 in conference play, easily the top mark in the Big Sky. Demore spent the 2024 season as the interim head coach at Nevada, guiding the Wolf Pack to a 40-17 overall record, including 14-8 in the Mountain West Conference. The 40 wins were tied for second most in program history, and highest total since 2009. The team finished the season 52nd in the RPI, set a number of school records, and tied for second in the Mountain West standings (just one game shy of a regular season title). In addition, Demore’s pitching staff had a 2.78 ERA (49th best in the nation) while limiting the opposition to a .241 batting average. Three pitchers posted sub-3.00 ERA’s, and each of those three tossed at least 97.0 innings. Demore spent three years at Nevada (2022-24), and worked with the pitchers and catchers each of those seasons. She was assistant coach in 2022 and 2023. During her three-year tenure, Nevada went from a 17-35, 7-17 team in 2022, to 31-19, 10-12 in 2023, and finally the 2024 mark of 40-17, 14-8. Prior to Nevada, Demore was the pitching coach at Northern Kentucky for one season (2021) after spending two years (2018-20) as the graduate assistant at Fresno State. She also had one-year assistant coaching stops at the University of British Columbia (2017), Loyola-Chicago (2016) and UC Riverside (2015). Demore spent the summers of 2014 and 2015 as an assistant coach with the Greek National Team. Demore played four seasons (2010-13) at Oregon State, where she helped the Beavers to back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances in 2012 and 2013. A pitcher, she struck out 341 batters during her career, tied for 10th most in Oregon State history. Demore improved her win total every season, culminating in a senior year in which she finished 21-13 with a 3.00 ERA, 186 innings and a .236 opponent batting average. The staff ace, Demore led the pitching staff that year in virtually every statistical category while helping the team to 34 wins and an NCAA Regional appearances. In fact, during the Beavers’ second game of the NCAA Regional, she tossed a two-hit shutout of Stony Brook. Demore competed for the Canadian National Team from 2008-14, which included a second place finish for Team Canada at the 2013 Pan American Championship. She graduated from Oregon State in 2014 with a biology degree, and later earned her master’s degree in sports psychology from Fresno State in 2020.

After an incredible playing career with the Hornets that included numerous school records, Lewa Day enters her second season as assistant coach in 2026. In her first year as assistant coach (2025), Day was part of a staff that helped the Hornets to a 27-23 overall record and 10-5 in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornets set nine program single-season records (all on offense), including batting average (.314), home runs (67), RBIs (271), runs (293) and stolen bases (74). Day played five seasons for the Hornets (2020-24), establishing herself as one of the greatest players to wear the Green and Gold. The 2024 Big Sky Player of the Year and Sacramento State Female Student-Athlete of the Year, Day was also a two time all-region, four time all-conference and five time Big Sky all-academic selection. That includes a first team all-Big Sky performer each of her final three seasons while also serving as a team captain every year during that span. The Fairfield, Calif., native finished her career as both the Big Sky and Sacramento State all-time leader with 61 career home runs. Overall, Day holds Sacramento State record for runs (152), homers (61), RBIs (180), slugging percentage (.721) and total bases (435). She also ranks second in program history in walks (97), third in on-base percentage (.455), fourth in hits (214), fifth in batting average (.355), tied for fifth in games played (211), and tied for sixth in starts (207). Day played a season of pro ball during the summer of 2024 with the Texas Monarchs of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch League. A communication studies major who graduated in May of 2023, Day also obtained a master’s degree in education leadership from Sacramento State in 2025.