July 30, 2003

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team added two assistants to complete the 2003 coaching staff, head coach Lonni Alameda announced Wednesday.

Joining the Rebels are Sara Pickering and Angel Santiago.

Like Alameda, Pickering came to UNLV from Stanford where she spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach. As a hitting and defensive coach, she helped lead the Cardinal to five straight NCAA Regional appearances.

A four-year letterwinner in softball and 1998 graduate from Pac-10 power Washington, Pickering brings 10 years of coaching and playing experience to the Rebel staff.

"As an elite player of the game, Sara can pull from a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge," Alameda said. "She was a very competitive and dedicated player and brings the same to coaching, shown by her ability to convey what she knows to the student-athlete."

Santiago, a former professional baseball player, has spent the last four years as a physical education and strength coach at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Ill. In addition, he offered private baseball and softball instruction through Diamond Sports Academy.

A 1997 graduate of Southern Illinois, Santiago spent four seasons playing professional baseball in independent leagues before landing his first coaching job, a two-year stint with the baseball team at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, Ill.

"Angel has always impressed me," Alameda said. "He loves the game of softball, and his energy will be tough to duplicate, which will be a huge asset to the program."