Sara Driesenga - Softball Coach - Central Michigan University Athletics

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Sara Driesenga

Title:
Assistant Coach
E-Mail Address:
dries1s@cmich.edu
Year at CMU:
6th
Hometown:
Hudsonville, Mich.
Alma Mater/Year:
Michigan/2015 & 2016
Experience:
7th year

Sara Driesenga

Sara Driesenga, who was promoted to Associate Head Coach in June of 2025, before starting her seventh season with the Chippewas. Driesenga serves as the pitching coach for Central Michigan.

Driesenga was named a member of the Chippewas’ coaching staff, headed by McCall Salmon, that took over after the 2019 season with the retirement of legendary coach Margo Jonker.

In the abbreviated 2020 season, Driesenga and fellow assistant Brittni Merchant joined Salmon in leading the Chippewas to a 6-13 finish, including wins in four of their final six games.

In year two, Driesenga helped CMU to 18 Mid-American Conference victories, including nine wins in its last 11 games. She mentored freshman pitcher Grace Lehto as she emerged as Central Michigan's ace. Lehto led the team with 11 victories and 107 strikeouts in 122.0 innings.

Year three held even more success for Driesenga's Chippewa pitchers. Lehto posted a 3.14 ERA throwing 21 complete games, earning 16 victories. Lehto struck out 156 opponents and made 34 apperances, good for 7th best in program history. Kaitlyn Bean eared 7 victories through 8 complete games as well for the Chippewas.

In 2023, Lehto started to truly flourish under the direction of Driesenga. Lehto recorded 195 strikeouts, which earns her the 8th spot in the record book. She made another 34 appearances, threw 19 complete games and totaled 186.2 innings pitched. In the outing against Army on March 15th, 2023, Lehto struck out 15. Lehto also threw the first no-hitter in program history since 2009 against Bowling Green on April 26th, 2023.

2024 showed more growth and success for the Chippewa pitchers under direction of Driesenga. Grace Lehto continued her path while surpassing the 500-career strikeout mark, ending her season with 567, the third most in program history. Mackenzie Langan emerged as a significant arm in the circle for CMU in her second season. Langan threw 66.1 innings and struck out 42 batters.

During the 2025 season, Mackenzie Langan emerged as a standout pitcher not only on the Chippewa pitching staff, but also in the Mid-American Conference, under the leadership of Driesenga.

Langan, who earned First Team All-MAC honors in her junior season, ranked in the top 10 in ERA (2.94), opponent batting average (.261), innings pitched (126.1), strikeouts (84) and strikeouts looking (19), wins (13), runs allowed (63), and walks allowed (35).

Brooklyn Compau, a sophomore pitcher in 2025, earned two power conference complete games for the Chippewas, in a 4-2 victory over Northwestern (2/28/25) and a shutout, 4-0 over Michigan State (3/26/25). Compau totaled seven wins in her second year for CMU striking out 70 batters in 92.0 innings pitched.

The Chippewa pitching staff posted the second lowest ERA in the conference, 3.93, charted nine shutouts as a team, also second best in the MAC, and allowed just 214 runs for the entire season, holding that second place spot again.

Langan threw 11 complete games, charted six shutouts and collected 13 wins on the season – leading the Chippewas in all three categories.

Driesenga is a native of Hudsonville who, in 2011, was named Michigan Miss Softball coming of Hudsonville High School. She leads the pitching staff and works with the hitters.

Driesenga was a standout at Michigan from 2012-16, compiling a 71-26 record with 10 saves and helping the Wolverines to six Big Ten championships, five regular-season crowns, one tournament title, and three Women’s College World Series appearances including a national runner-up finish in 2015.

Driesenga was a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region selection and earned All-Big Ten honors three times. She was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and in 2016 was named to the Academic All-America squad. She played in 2016 for the Texas-based Scrap Yard Dawgs in the National Pro Fastpitch league.

She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology, and she earned her master’s in social work. She has served as a volunteer assistant coach at Eastern Michigan and has coached at various clubs and camps.