Natalie Yonan begins her sixth season "On The Banks" as an assistant with the Rutgers softball program working closely with the Scarlet Knight infield.
Yonan has been with the program during its biggest moments including the first back-to-back 30-win season, the most Big Ten victories in program history, the most Big Ten series wins since joining the league in 2015, the highest Big Ten Tournament seed and the best start since 1981. Under Yonan's tutelage, Rutgers has posted its highest fielding percentage in school history and been bestowed the Rawlings Golden Glove Award at third base, while a Scarlet Knight shortstop has earn three consecutive nods to All-Region and All-Big Ten squads.
In 2023 Yonan's infield was recognized with one of the country's top defensive awards with Payton Lincavage earned the Rawlings Golden Glove Award as the nation's top defensive third baseman along with shortstop Kyleigh Sand earning back-to-back All-Region and All-Big Ten honors. At the plate, the 2023 Scarlet Knights set a school record for runs scored in a season.
During her second year at Rutgers in 2022, the Scarlet Knights qualified for the National Invitational Softball Championship with the best start in program history since 1981. Rutgers surpassed its win total from the previous year only three weeks into the season and also put together an eight-game win streak, the longest for the Scarlet Knights since 1994. Working with the RU defense, the Scarlet Knights had its highest fielding percentage in school history.
Yonan is in her second stint as a member of Coach Butler’s coaching staff having begun her coaching career as a volunteer assistant with the Scarlet Knight skipper at Toldeo. Working with the infield and helping to develop three All-MAC selections, Yonan helped the Rockets achieve a 30-win season for the first time in 23 seasons along with a share of the MAC West regular season title and postseason appearance in the National Invitational Softball Championship.
Following her stint at Toledo, Yonan served two seasons as an assistant coach at Lee University continuing her work with the infielders and developing two All-Gulf South Conference honorees.
A native of Susanville, California, Yonan was a three-time Big South Scholar Athlete graduating from Charleston Southern in 2016 with a degree in Kinesiology. A four-year starter for the Buccaneers, she helped Charleston Southern to the 2013 Big South Tournament Championship and the NCAA Knoxville Regional.
