Cara HoytTitle: Associate Head Coach Experience: 4th Year Alma Mater: Eastern Washington, '86 Email:choyt@csus.edu Bio:
Associate head coach Cara Hoyt begins her fourth season at Sacramento State after spending four years (2002-05) as the head coach at Cal State East Bay. Hoyt serves as both the Hornets’ hitting and outfield coach, as well as the team’s recruiting coordinator.
Since her arrival, Sacramento State’s offensive production has made dramatic improvements under Hoyt’s watchful eye. During her three-year tenure with the team, Sacramento State has set single-season team records in batting average (.311), on-base percentage (.371), slugging percentage (.443), hits (461), runs (293), home runs (34), doubles (71), RBIs (261) and total bases (656). Including a program-record 34 home runs last season, the Hornets have combined to hit 90 round trippers during Hoyt’s three-year tenure after never hitting more than 16 in any year since joining the Div. I ranks in 1990.
Compared to the 2005 season (prior to Hoyt’s arrival), the 2006 squad raised its batting average 37 points, on-base percentage 48 points and slugging percentage 108 points. The team had 38 more doubles and 90 more RBIs despite having nearly the same amount of at-bats (1456-1430). Last year's team bumped those offensive marks even further, setting single-season program records in nine different categories.
Sacramento State players have also set nine offensive single-season records, including RBIs (53 by Izmena Cabrera), home runs (12 from Jamie Schloredt) and batting average (.434 from Lindy Winkler). The Hornets hit .311 as a team last year, .270 in 2007, and .286 in 2006, after never hitting better than .265 during the program’s first 16 years at the Div. I level.
Prior to Sacramento State, Hoyt led Cal State East Bay to a combined 97-47-2 record (.671 winning percentage) over four years. The Pioneers were ranked 14th and 11th nationally (Div. III) during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, respectively. Her teams showed improvement each season (18-20 in 2002, 24-13 in 2003, 29-8-1 in 2004 and 26-6-1 in 2005) and 18 players received all-West Region honors during her tenure.
In 2004, Cal State East Bay finished fourth in the NCAA West Regional Tournament, marking the first postseason appearance for the Pioneers since 1992. In 2005, the team clubbed a school-record 26 home runs and ranked among the nation’s leaders in fielding percentage (8th, .972), winning percentage (21st, .803) and batting average (23rd, .324).
Prior to her time at Cal State East Bay, Hoyt served as the head coach of Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash., from 1996-2001. The Vancouver, Wash., native led her teams to a combined 172-92 record, a pair of Northern Division championships and four top-four finishes at the NWAACC Championships.
She also spent five years (1990-94) as head coach at Eastside Catholic High School in Bellevue, Wash. Hoyt received her bachelor’s degree (recreation management) from Eastern Washington in 1986, where she played left field for two years until the program was eliminated. Hoyt received her master’s degree in education from City University in Renton, Wash., in 1998.
Cara Hoyt
