CROOKSTON, Minn. – Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson and Head Softball coach Nick Weinmeister announced the hiring of Ashton Sangster to be the next assistant coach of Golden Eagle softball.

"Coach Sangster is a great addition to our softball program and our athletics department. She has a winning pedigree from her time as a student-athlete at Arkansas Tech and is able to bring that with her to this assistant coaching position," said first-year Head Coach Nick Weinmeister.

"I am excited to work with her and I can't wait for the rest of the team to get the chance to meet her when she arrives on campus."

Sangster comes to the University of Minnesota Crookston from Labette Community College where she was an assistant coach for the Cardinals. Sangster had been there since July of 2020.

While she was at Labette Community College, Sangster had a number of duties including: creating strength and conditioning programs, handling all social media outlets, recorded and uploaded stats and helped with recruiting, among other things.

The Cardinals finished 34-16 a season ago, but missed out on the National tournament.

Before her lone season as the top assistant coach for the Cardinals, Sangster had a standout playing career at Division II Arkansas Tech University. The native of Van Buren, Ark., played in 207 career games for the Golden Suns and led the team in runs with 50 scored in both her sophomore and junior seasons and was tied for the team lead with 21 runs scored in the shortened 2020 season.

Her Arkansas Tech team made the NCAA Tournament in both her sophomore and junior seasons and was one win away from going to the College World Series in 2019. Sangster was a 2019 D2CCA All-Region Second Team selection. In addition, was a 2018 and 2019 GAC First Team pick. 

Sangster will bring a winning mentality to the Golden Eagles as well, after winning a whopping 142 in her four-year career at Arkansas Tech.

Sangster has her Associates of Arts degree in General Education from Arkansas Tech, as well as he Bachelors of Science degree in Health PE Wellness and Fitness from Arkansas Tech, as well as a minor in General Business. She also expects to get a Master of Science in Sport Administration from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in December of this year.

The Golden Eagles will start a new era under the direction of Weinmeister in 2022.